AICPA and CIMA Launch AI Accelerator Skills Program To Prepare Finance Leaders for an AI Enabled Future

New York, April 27, 2026: The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA and CIMA), today announced the launch of the AI Accelerator Skills Program, a groundbreaking globally offered training designed to prepare accounting and finance professionals to lead confidently in an artificial intelligence (AI) enabled world.

As AI rapidly reshapes the profession, organizations are facing a widening capability gap. While AI adoption across finance and accounting functions continues to accelerate, many organizations struggle to translate that adoption into meaningful business impact. The AI Accelerator Skills Program (The AI Accelerator) addresses this challenge head-on by equipping finance teams and leaders with the mindset, skills, and governance frameworks needed to lead responsible, high-impact AI transformation.

"Our profession is at an inflection point," said Tom Hood, EVP - Business Engagement and Growth, AICPA and CIMA. "Finance leaders overwhelmingly agree that people drive transformation success -- mindset, skills, and leadership -- not technology alone. The AI Accelerator gives professionals the tools they need to guide their organizations responsibly through this moment of change."

The AI Accelerator grew out of an August 2025 Future of Finance Leadership Advisory Group convening of CFOs and senior finance leaders from more than 50 Fortune 1000 companies, where a two-day immersive AI session was viewed as one of the most impactful experiences participants had encountered. The AI Accelerator was further shaped through pilot engagements with public accounting firms and corporate finance teams both in the U.S. and abroad and builds on AICPA and CIMA's leadership as the first organization to register a U.S. Department of Labor apprenticeship for Finance Business Partner roles, addressing the new skills required across a modern, AI-enabled finance function.

"As technology continues to reshape the finance profession, building a strong digital mindset across our workforce has become a strategic imperative," said Phillip Zaman, Director of Learning Systems and Operations for CBIZ. "AI adoption alone is not enough; our people need the skills and judgment to apply it effectively. The AICPA has been a valuable partner with CBIZ in our upskilling journey over the past several years. Their AI Accelerator Program appears poised to equip teams to turn AI, data, and automation into meaningful value for their clients and their businesses."

Developed for CFOs, finance leaders, and accounting professionals at all levels, the AI Accelerator recognizes that transformation success depends far more on skills, leadership, and culture than on tools alone. It builds AI fluency across finance and accounting teams, helping organizations move beyond experimentation to scalable, ethical, and effective AI adoption.

The AI Accelerator is structured around three progressive learning tiers, ensuring relevance and impact across the organization:

• Strategic Tier: Focused on leadership, transformation strategy, ethics, and governance to position AI as a strategic enabler.

• Transitional Tier: Concentrated on generative AI, adoption frameworks, and change management to drive effective implementation.

• Operational Tier: Hands-on learning centered on productivity, automation, and day-to-day application of AI tools.

The AI Accelerator offers a flexible, scalable, and NASBA -accredited approach to AI upskilling, with options to participate through a comprehensive bundle or a curated selection of individual courses. With up to 42 CPE credits, a certificate of completion, and B2B deployment through AICPA's Business Learning Institute or an organization's own Learning Management System, the program is built for seamless adoption across teams and global enterprises.

By pairing AI tools with human judgment, leadership, and ethical governance, the AI Accelerator helps organizations close the AI ROI gap while boosting productivity through smarter automation, reducing routine tasks, strengthening risk management, and preparing finance and accounting teams to deliver sustained value in an AI-enabled world.

"The opportunity is not simply to adopt AI faster, but to adopt it better," added AICPA and CIMA's Hood. "This program gives global finance leaders and professionals the skills to turn AI into a true catalyst for transformation."

Media Contacts:
Bill Ferguson
AICPA and CIMA
908.803.2958
[email protected]

About the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, AICPA, and CIMA

The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association) advances the reputation, employability, and quality of CPAs, CGMA designation holders, and accounting and financial professionals globally. Founded in 2017 by the AICPA and CIMA, it represents 580,000 AICPA and CIMA members, candidates, and registrants in more than 150 countries and territories, advocating for the public interest and business sustainability on current and emerging issues.

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