In 1930, economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that by 2030, we’d all be working just 15 hours a week.
He assumed that as technology improved, we’d need fewer hours to produce everything society needs. More productivity would mean more freedom.
But here we are—nearly a century later—and many of us are still grinding through 40+ hour weeks, drowning in emails, reconciliations, and spreadsheets.
Accountants know this reality all too well.
Despite advances like cloud systems, cheaper storage, and faster processing, finance functions still rely heavily on people—long hours, countless eyes, and extensive manual effort.
That’s all about to change.
The arrival of artificial intelligence marks the beginning of a fundamental transformation.
We’re now seeing systems that can understand natural language, interpret financial data, summarise commentary, and generate forecasts—with context and deep thinking.
This goes way beyond dashboards or canned reports.
And it’s just the beginning.
Historically, every major tech breakthrough has created more jobs than it destroyed. The printing press, the automobile, the internet—they didn’t just automate tasks, they created industries we couldn’t have predicted.
But AI might be the exception.
It’s not just enhancing productivity. It’s replacing the need for people in certain roles altogether.
Just this year, an AI-run venture capital firm independently reviewed startups, conducted interviews, and made funding decisions—with minimal human input. Robots are now teaching themselves to cook, code, and collaborate.
It’s now entirely reasonable to assume that algorithms will soon plan and execute full audits—with little to no human involvement.
This isn’t automation. It’s autonomy.
So maybe Keynes was right about the 15-hour workweek—he was just a century too early.
Or maybe the rise of the machine means we won’t be working at all.
Curious how AI will reshape your finance function? Come visit the Chisl team at booth 431.
Meet the Chisl (Ask Nora) team on stand 431 at Accountex London, taking place at Excel London on the 14-15 May, 2025.
You can register for your free ticket here.
