Fry joins an exceptional line-up of speakers at the Conference on 5 November, where he’ll take part in a panel to explore the theme ‘Will AI replace accountants - or elevate them?’.

Speaking ahead of the event, Fry, who is now non-executive chair at Motion Applied, said: “I think the doomsayers will be wrong. There will be consequences but never in the history of humankind has the development of technology ever made everyone redundant. It has changed the shape of things, so people are deployed often from less interesting jobs towards more interesting jobs.”

On the impact for accountants, Fry added: “AI will probably end up doing the grunt work, but it’s not going to give you that accidental bit of genius on top. The low-level accounting tasks will go but the high-level stuff probably won’t.”

ICAS has placed AI at the forefront of not only its conference agenda but also its long-term ambitions. In 2024, it became the first accountancy body to launch a future-fit CA syllabus, designed to equip chartered accountants with the skills needed to navigate AI, data, and sustainability.

The professional body has also been vocal on the potential impact of AI on the profession.  ICAS CEO Bruce Cartwright CA issued an open letter to former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt earlier this year, expressing strong disagreement with remarks he made suggesting that graduates should avoid pursuing careers in accountancy due to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).

The ICAS Annual Conference, which is open to both ICAS members and the wider business community to attend both in person and online, will tackle themes including the UK’s global political influence, business sustainability and ethical leadership, through a series of key notes, panel discussions and breakout sessions.

Other headline names appearing at the event include astronaut Tim Peake, entrepreneurship expert Susie Warran-Smith, computer science pioneer Dame Wendy Smith, leading economist Paul Johnson CBE, and renowned journalist Tina Brown CBE.

Bruce Cartwright CA, ICAS CEO, commented: “We’re excited to have Nick join us in London next month. He is right to point out that AI will reshape the profession but not replace it. At ICAS, we see technology as an opportunity to free accountants from routine tasks and allow them to focus on the judgment, insight and leadership that businesses and society value. That’s why we have placed AI at the heart of our new syllabus and our Annual Conference - to ensure our members are not just ready for change but are driving it.”

To find out more and book a place at the ICAS Annual Conference visit icas.com.