(FEB NEWS) The Department of Accounting, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga, successfully held the Guest Lecture Series #11 featuring Dr. Yuqian (Michael) Zhang, Senior Lecturer in Accounting at Lincoln University, New Zealand. The session, conducted on 20 November 2025, explored the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence and its transformative impact on the accounting profession.
This academic forum attracted more than 250 participants from Universitas Airlangga and various universities across Indonesia. Students, lecturers, and early–career researchers joined the event to deepen their understanding of how AI technologies are reshaping accounting workflows, decision-making processes, and future career landscapes.
Opening and Event Context
The session was moderated by Vidya Intani Athfalina, Lecturer at the Department of Accounting FEB UNAIR. In her opening remarks, she emphasized the growing importance of integrating global technological insights into the accounting curriculum. She also highlighted that the Guest Lecture Series serves as a bridge between academic perspectives and real-world applications, preparing students for upcoming technological disruptions in the profession.
Dr. Zhang’s lecture, titled “How Generative AI is Changing Accounting Work”, focused on how AI, from simple automation to advanced generative models, is redefining what accountants do, how they work, and what skills they must develop to remain relevant.
About the Speaker
Dr. Yuqian (Michael) Zhang is a Senior Lecturer in Accounting at Lincoln University, New Zealand. His academic work spans interdisciplinary areas, including:
• Behavioral aspects of accounting
• Information processing
• Technology adoption in financial contexts
• Big data, analytics, and blockchain
• Ethics in the digital age
He has published in respected international journals and regularly collaborates with both academic and industry partners. His expertise made him an ideal speaker for advancing UNAIR students’ understanding of AI-enhanced accounting practices.
Lecture Overview: How Generative AI Is Transforming Accounting
Dr. Zhang began with a foundational explanation of Generative AI, describing it as an advanced AI system capable of generating text, code, images, insights, and narrative explanations. He explained that modern AI functions as a “super-smart assistant that never sleeps,” boosting efficiency across the accounting workflow.
- Traditional Challenges in Accounting
• Manual data entry prone to error
• Time-consuming narrative reporting
• Limited human capacity for large-scale analysis
• Reactive rather than proactive decision-making - How AI Addresses These Problems
• Automated data processing and validation
• Instant report generation
• Enhanced analytical capability
• Predictive insights for managerial decisions
• Intelligent document processing
Dr. Zhang illustrated how AI is already reshaping functions such as bookkeeping, reconciliation, auditing analytics, tax compliance, and financial forecasting.
Key Topics Presented
A. Automated Bookkeeping & Smart Reconciliation
AI can categorize transactions, match ledgers, and detect discrepancies significantly faster than traditional methods. This allows accountants to focus on judgment-based tasks.
B. AI-Enhanced Financial Reporting
AI systems can automatically generate:
• Draft financial statements
• Management commentary
• Footnote explanations
• Charts and visual analytics
• Compliance-oriented summaries
This creates new expectations for accountants to review, verify, and refine AI-generated content.
C. Data Cleaning and Preparation
Using R, Dr. Zhang demonstrated:
• Automated validation
• Error detection
• Date and format standardization
• Missing-value handling
• Creation of computed fields
Example shown: identifying that “01/15/2024” and “15-Jan-2024” refer to the same date.
D. Automated Ratio Analysis
AI can compute:
• Profitability ratios (ROA, ROE, margins)
• Liquidity ratios (current, quick)
• Leverage ratios (debt-to-equity)
• Efficiency ratios (asset turnover)
• Growth indicators
With AI, ratio analysis becomes real-time, allowing faster performance monitoring and anomaly detection.
E. Textual Analysis Using NLP Tools
Students learned how AI examines financial documents:
• Sentiment detection
• Keyword extraction
• Topic modeling
• Risk identification
• Trend recognition in annual reports
Examples included AI summarizing 100-page annual reports in seconds.
Live Demonstrations
- Data Preparation in R
Using packages like tidyverse, Dr. Zhang demonstrated automated cleaning of multi-year financial data from two simulated companies. - Ratio Analysis
Participants observed how R computes and visualizes multiple financial metrics instantly. - Textual Analysis and Visualization
Dr. Zhang showed how NLP tools (e.g., sentimentr, tm) extract meaning from long-form corporate documents. - AI-Powered Financial Report
Using Python and an AI API:
• The system “reads” annual reports
• Identifies risks, sentiment, recurring themes
• Produces a structured markdown-style report
• Supports decision analysis for managers and auditors
This demonstration showcased how future accountants may rely on AI for rapid interpretation of complex documents.
Key Takeaways from the Lecture
- AI augments, not replaces, accountants. Human judgment remains essential.
- Clean data is the foundation of reliable AI outputs.
- Critical thinking and ethical sensitivity are increasingly important.
- Future-ready accountants require blended skills in accounting, analysis, and technology.
- Transparency and validation processes are crucial as AI becomes integral to reporting and auditing.
Acknowledgments
The Department of Accounting expresses its deep appreciation to Dr. Yuqian (Michael) Zhang for his insightful and forward-looking presentation. The Department also thanks all participants for their active engagement, thoughtful questions, and contributions to a productive academic dialogue.
The organizing committee extends its gratitude to the students and faculty members who supported the event, ensuring its smooth and impactful delivery.
Access to Materials
Participants who filled out the attendance form will receive:
• Presentation slides
• Session recording
• Certificate of participation
Material’s Link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1onHSfjlrJJNN1zaa3ifvgfFknb-8L8Wu?usp=sharing