Accountants have always exploited
emerging technologies to help them to
complete their tasks more accurately,
quickly or simply: from the incised clay
tablets of the Sumerian scribes, through
the adding machines of the 19th
century, to the calculators and
computers of the 20th century. But all of
these technology developments were
simple propositions by comparison with
the myriad technologies that are now
rapidly reshaping the worlds of business
and accountancy.
Heading into the 21st century
technology trends in cloud, big data,
mobile and social collaboration are
converging to change the ways in which
we consume information technology
resources, share knowledge and
experiences, and access products and
services. At the same time, these trends
are also underpinning and influencing
developments in cyber security, digital
service delivery, robotics, augmented
and virtual reality, and artificial
intelligence. A ‘new normal’ is
emerging.