Hong Kong-based accounting firms plan to continue expanding their workforce in 2026 while increasing the use of artificial intelligence (AI), positioning the technology as a tool to support staff and attract new entrants to the profession, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported citing industry players.

KPMG China partner of audit quality and professional practice Andrew Wong was quoted by SCMP as saying: “We do not believe AI is a replacement for humans, and we have not seen any reduction in hiring in the past nor do we plan to [reduce hiring] in future. We see AI and our people as complementary to each other.”

Wong said AI had improved quality and efficiency and was also supporting talent attraction and retention.

He added that AI was enabling KPMG China’s accountants to take on new and different job roles, which was “exactly what young people are looking for”.

He also said that, in the context of big data, AI was effective in parsing trends and detecting anomalies from large data sets, while helping to analyse complex issues.

Other major firms have outlined hiring plans alongside AI deployment. Deloitte China said in October that it planned to hire about 1,000 people in Hong Kong and invest HK$500m ($64m) over the next four years to expand capabilities in fintech, capital markets operations and AI.

EY senior partner and leader of Asia-Pacific turnaround and restructuring Derek Lai Kar-yan was quoted as saying: “Many young professionals are interested in careers in debt restructuring and liquidation, but they expect employers to provide AI tools to enhance their efficiency.
“That is why we need to invest in AI to attract young talent to join our team.”

Lai said he planned to expand his team from 80 to 130 in 2026 and expected demand for debt restructuring and liquidations could rise due to a weak economy.

He also said companies were more open to preventive restructuring to adapt to uncertainties such as geopolitical tensions and tariffs.

“Restructurings and liquidations involve a large volume of documents and transaction records,” Lai said.

“With AI summarising the documents and transcribing minutes of meetings, it saves staff a lot of time and helps improve efficiency.”

He added that when he joined the industry 36 years ago, he spent long hours reviewing paperwork due to the absence of AI tools.

“Now with AI, analysing paperwork has been sped up over 10 times, which would make restructuring and liquidation more interesting and appealing to young talent,” he said.

Separately, Manulife Financial Asia non-executive chairman and Financial Services Development Council director Damien Green referred to the Microsoft/LinkedIn Annual Work Trend Index, saying employees wanted to use AI at work and wanted their companies to catch up on adoption.

Green said: “The development and integration of AI capabilities in the professional services workforce of the future is important for Hong Kong as an international financial centre.”

Green added that the government had been promoting AI and data science development through the HK$3bn Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme and said the government-backed think tank was working with the industry on initiatives aimed at helping early-career professionals and students prepare to use AI.