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What CBIZ Means for PE, Starbucks Kills Off AI Inventory Counting

What CBIZ Means for PE, Starbucks Kills Off AI Inventory Counting

Episode 490 Published 5 days, 4 hours ago
Description

Is private equity betting on the wrong accounting firms? Blake and David break down CBIZ’s stock slide, why investors may be losing faith in the traditional firm model, and how AI could help smaller firms compete far above their size. They also cover Starbucks ditching AI inventory counts, Microsoft reining in AI tool costs, and what all of it means for accountants navigating automation, pricing, and the future of firm growth.

Sponsors
Canopy - http://accountingpodcast.promo/canopy
OnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpay
C&R Consulting - http://accountingpodcast.promo/cnr
Maxima.AI - http://accountingpodcast.promo/maxima


Chapters
  • (00:00) - TAP 490
  • (02:53) - CBIZ Stock Slide
  • (06:13) - AI Threat to Firm Models
  • (11:32) - EisnerAmper Anti AI Take
  • (15:42) - Livestream Shoutouts
  • (16:13) - New England CPA Society Merge
  • (20:42) - Starbucks Kills AI Inventory
  • (23:34) - NASBA Exam Data Mess
  • (26:34) - Phoenix Call Center Jobs and AI
  • (28:36) - Will AI Really Kill Jobs
  • (31:09) - Spreadsheets Then AI Now
  • (33:07) - Automation Enables CFO Services
  • (35:08) - Microsoft AI Token Shock
  • (36:31) - Managing Token Spend
  • (39:27) - AI Architect Role
  • (43:36) - Trump IRS Settlement Reopened
  • (45:04) - Beneficial Ownership Bill
  • (45:52) - Newsom 100% Tax Threat
  • (46:57) - KPMG Australia Whistleblower
  • (49:35) - Xero Force No Code Agents
  • (54:03) - Xero Earnings Melio Impact
  • (59:03) - Vibe Coding Real Examples
  • (01:02:35) - Wrap Up Earmark CPE
 


Show Notes

What Can We Learn from CBIZ?

https://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/what-can-we-learn-from-cbiz


EisnerAmper on Accounting for AI

https://www.privatefundscfo.com/eisneramper-on-accounting-for-ai/


State Societies Merge to Form New England Society of CPAs

https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/state-societies-merge-to-form-new-england-society-of-cpas


Starbucks Kills Off Its Automated Counting AI Tool After Just 9 Months

https://www.goingconcern.com/starbucks-kills-off-its-automated-counting-ai-tool-after-just-9-months-because-it-sucked-at-counting/


NASBA's CPA Exam Reporting Problems Are Improving, But Not Solved

https://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/nasbas-cpa-exam-reporting-problems-are-improving-but-not-solved


Phoenix Built an Empire of Cubicle Jobs. AI Is Coming to Tear It Down.

https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/phoenix-jobs-ai-call-centers-1ca1c3b3


Why the A.I. Job Apocalypse (Probably) Won't Happen

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/03/opinion/ai-jobs-unemployment.html


Microsoft Cut Its Engineers Off from AI Because the Bill Got Too Big

https://fortune.com/2026/05/22/microsoft-ai-cost-problem-to

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