Written by Sripal Jain, CA/US CPA, Co-founder, Simandhar Education
The next decade is going to reshape the finance profession in ways that feel subtle today but will be obvious in hindsight. AI has already entered almost every workflow in accounting, audit, controls, compliance, and reporting. Instead of threatening the future of finance jobs, it is simply reorganising them. By 2035, the most successful professionals will not be those who try to compete with machines, but those who learn how to use them intelligently.
For students planning a long-term career, the biggest shift is this: entry-level work will no longer be built around routine tasks. The first few years of a finance job will start at a higher point than the generation before them ever experienced.
How the first five years of a finance job are changing
Earlier, junior professionals were expected to spend their initial years doing reconciliations, entering data, checking samples, updating spreadsheets, and preparing basic documentation. These tasks helped them learn discipline, structure, and accuracy. Today, AI performs most of this work before an analyst even logs in.
This means the early career experience will look different. New hires will begin with interpretation rather than preparation. They will be expected to review system-generated reports, investigate exceptions, explain unusual trends, and document the reasoning behind their conclusions. The pace of learning will be faster, but so will the expectations.
Why routine work is fading out
The disappearance of traditional entry-level tasks is not a mystery. Financial data is cleaner and more standardised than before, which removes the need for manual cleanup. Automation tools are now reliable enough to process invoices, match transactions, prepare tax drafts, run basic audit procedures, and even draft reports. And regulators across the world are asking companies to detect risk earlier and report faster, which pushes organisations towards automated systems that can monitor activity round the clock.
None of this reduces the need for human talent. It only removes the parts of the job that never required human judgment in the first place.
What AI can do and what it still cannot
AI is extremely good at analysing large sets of financial information, identifying patterns or irregularities, comparing thousands of records in seconds, and drafting working documents. But it still struggles with context. It cannot understand why a business decision was made, whether a number looks reasonable, whether a risk is material, or what a regulator might think about a particular disclosure.
Finance will always rely on human judgment for these decisions. Algorithms can generate alerts, but someone still needs to decide what those alerts mean.
The work that is growing because of AI
One of the most important trends is not what AI is taking away, but what it is enabling. Audit teams will increasingly work with continuous audit platforms that test entire populations of transactions. Controllers will guide businesses using forward-looking insights instead of historical summaries. Compliance teams will monitor not just employee behaviour but also the behaviour of algorithms. Finance teams will need specialists who understand both data and regulation. The centre of gravity in finance is shifting from processing information to interpreting it.
How audit, compliance, and reporting will look in 2035
Audit will no longer begin with collecting samples. Systems will read contracts, review transactions and highlight inconsistencies automatically. Auditors will spend their time understanding the implications of those inconsistencies. Compliance will become more technology oriented as regulators update expectations for AI-assisted processes. And financial reporting will become a blend of machine drafted statements and human interpretation, where the final responsibility still rests with the professional.
The skills students should build now
Students entering finance today need strong fundamentals in accounting, audit, reporting, tax and regulatory frameworks. These subjects will matter even more in an AI-driven environment because the ability to question an output depends on the depth of one’s conceptual understanding.
Alongside this, students must become comfortable with data. Not coding, but the ability to read dashboards, understand trends, question sources, and recognise when the information does not make sense. Analytical thinking, clear documentation and effective communication will set apart those who can work with AI from those who simply rely on it.
Professional judgment and ethics will play an even larger role. As more decisions are supported by automated systems, companies will need people who can ensure fairness, transparency and accountability.
How global hiring trends are reshaping Indian finance education
Across global capability centres, multinational banks, audit firms and consulting companies, Indian professionals are being hired for roles that combine finance knowledge with analytical and technological understanding. Predictive analytics, AI-supported audit, model governance, regulatory reporting and financial planning are becoming core functions. Education providers in India are gradually updating curricula to reflect this shift.
Students entering the field today will begin their careers at a point where interpretation, not manual work, is the default expectation.
What a realistic ten-year pathway looks like
The first two to three years will involve reviewing AI outputs, investigating exceptions, documenting conclusions and supporting business teams. As professionals gain experience, they will take ownership of automated workflows, work closely with cross-functional teams, and support decision-making through insights.
By the seven to ten year mark, professionals will oversee AI-assisted processes, ensure compliance, and guide strategy. Beyond that, finance leadership roles will require a blend of analytics, business understanding, risk awareness and the ability to navigate uncertainty.
A final word for students
AI will automate the repetitive part of finance, but it will strengthen the strategic part. Students who build strong fundamentals, stay curious, and learn to interpret information rather than simply process it will have the advantage. Finance in 2035 will reward people who think clearly, question confidently and explain their decisions well.
Those who prepare for this shift now will be the ones shaping the profession in the decade ahead.
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Views expressed are author's own. The EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
