AI Maturity Framework Redefines the Future of Work in Audit and Advisory

September 09, 2025 at 09:00 AM EDT

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fieldguide, the leader in professional-grade agentic AI for audit and advisory, today announced the launch of the AI Maturity Framework (AMF), a first-of-its-kind roadmap designed to help firms move from fragmented experimentation to scalable, AI-first transformation.

Audit and advisory firms face a defining moment. Rising client expectations, growing regulatory complexity, and a stagnant talent pipeline are colliding with the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence. Many firms are eager to adopt AI, but without a clear roadmap, many AI efforts stall or fail, leaving firms with disjointed tools and constrained teams.

The AI Maturity Framework (AMF) was created to address this challenge. Developed by Fieldguide in collaboration with industry leaders, the AMF provides a practical framework for firms to adopt AI responsibly, scale intelligently, and build the foundation for the future of the profession. Most importantly, it empowers professionals to shift from task execution to strategic leadership, strengthening both client trust and long-term firm resilience.

Building a better path for the profession

Most firms remain at the earliest stages of AI adoption, still dependent on manual processes and disconnected systems. The profession’s talent is often tied up in procedural tasks, leaving less space for strategic impact, while firms struggle to expand capacity without overextending staff. Growth in this model is linear and limited.

The AMF redefines that equation. By placing AI in service of human expertise, firms can expand capacity, strengthen trust, and meet the growing expectations of clients and the profession. It is not about doing more with less, but about building a future where human judgment, client trust, and AI work in harmony to sustain the profession.

“The profession cannot meet client demand or sustain talent by relying on outdated models of work,” said Jin Chang, CEO and co-founder of Fieldguide. “The AI Maturity Framework provides the clarity and structure firms need to transform. It’s not about theory, it’s about building a future where firms grow, practitioners thrive, and clients receive the consistency and insight they expect.”

The six levels of the AI Maturity Framework

The AI Maturity Framework lays out a path firms can follow to move from fully manual work toward a future where AI and human expertise operate in partnership. At each stage, firms gain leverage by freeing capacity, elevating quality, and deepening client impact to fuel growth.

Level 0 – No Automation: Firms remain reliant on manual processes, with practitioners burdened by spreadsheets, emails, and disconnected systems. Capacity is capped, quality is inconsistent, and growth depends solely on hiring.
Level 1 – Basic Automation: Productivity tools begin to save time, but workflows are still fragmented. Firms see marginal efficiency gains, yet practitioners remain operators rather than advisors.
Level 2 – Assisted Automation: Purpose-built AI embedded in workflows accelerates key steps of the engagement. Practitioners reclaim time for review and insight, beginning the shift from executors to orchestrators. Engagements become more efficient and consistent.
Level 3 – Directed Automation: AI agents manage segments of engagements with human checkpoints. Firms start to scale capacity, while practitioners move into orchestration and exception handling, focusing their expertise where it matters most.
Level 4 – Guided Automation: AI carries the majority of execution. Humans supervise, interpret results, and guide client strategy. The firm gains both speed and consistency, while practitioners expand their role as trusted advisors.
Level 5 – Strategic Automation: AI manages entire lifecycles with adaptive intelligence. Professionals focus on foresight, innovation, and stewardship of trust. Firms achieve scalable growth, practitioners shape the future of the profession, and clients receive deeper, more strategic value.

What it means for firms, clients, and the profession

The impact of the AMF is felt across the entire ecosystem, from how firms operate, to how clients experience services, to how professionals grow.

For firms, it means expanding capacity without expanding headcount. By automating repeatable tasks and embedding AI into daily workflows, firms can improve consistency across teams and service lines, strengthen margins, and unlock new growth without compromising quality or oversight. It gives leaders a clear and responsible path to scale with confidence.

For clients, the benefits are equally powerful. Engagements are delivered faster and more predictably, with quality enhanced by the consistency of AI and the judgment of experienced professionals. Practitioners spend less time on mechanics and more time advising, interpreting, and delivering the insight clients rely on.

For the profession itself, the AMF addresses a challenge that can no longer be ignored. Too many practitioners enter the field to make a difference, only to get bogged down in manual, repetitive work. Without change, burnout and attrition will continue to rise. The AMF helps firms redesign that experience, replacing exhaustion with empowerment, and giving professionals the space to lead, grow, and thrive.

“The AMF cuts through the hype and delivers the roadmap firms have been missing,” said Randy Johnston, Executive Vice President, K2 Enterprises. “It shows how firms can expand capacity, elevate talent, and strengthen client trust, all while shaping a profession that is sustainable for the future.”

With the AI Maturity Framework, firms can scale intelligently and unlock capacity while empowering the practitioner, transforming AI from a tool into a trusted partner in client service and quality delivery.

To learn more about why Fieldguide created the AMF, read our blog.

To download the framework or speak with Fieldguide’s transformation team, visit https://www.fieldguide.io/ai-maturity-framework.

About Fieldguide
Fieldguide is the leader in purpose-built, professional-grade agentic AI for audit and advisory. The company's end-to-end engagement platform bridges innovation across firms, and enables audit and advisory practitioners to deliver superior work, enhance client experiences, and unlock growth for the next decade.

For more information or to request a demo of Field Agents, visit www.fieldguide.com/product/fieldguide-ai.

Media Contact
Kyle Cabodi
Senior Director of Corporate Marketing
fieldguide@bulleitgroup.com