The integration of artificial intelligence into professional services is creating significant operational advantages, particularly in compliance and risk management where AI enables real-time monitoring instead of periodic assessments. According to Asael Meir, Partner and Technology Industry Leader at CohnReznick, this shift allows for immediate feedback to clients and represents a fundamental transformation in how professional services firms operate. Meir made these observations during Benzinga's Fintech Day & Awards 2025, where industry leaders gathered to discuss AI's impact on financial technology and professional services.
AI applications extend beyond compliance to include research, content creation, and quality control, performing these tasks faster and at reduced cost compared to traditional methods. Meir emphasized that AI handles repetitive and mundane tasks such as formatting and proofing, freeing human professionals for higher-value work. "I wake up in the morning, I open my Copilot and my jaw drops every single day as to what I can now do," Meir noted, highlighting the practical benefits AI brings to daily operations.
The financial services sector faces similar transformation, with panelists at the event agreeing that AI addresses manual and labor-intensive processes that have long characterized the industry. While rapid technological advancement presents investment challenges, the consensus was that AI's role in upgrading financial services is fundamentally transformational. This transformation extends to dealmaking, where panelists anticipated increased convergence between decentralized finance and artificial intelligence in 2026, supported by a more accommodating regulatory environment.
This convergence is expected to fuel larger capital raises for companies operating at the intersection of these technologies, with Ripple's recent $500 million funding round at a $40 billion valuation cited as an indicator of growing investor interest. The panel discussion, titled "Dealmaking in Fintech: What to Expect in 2026: IPO's, M&A and overall outlook in fintech dealmaking next year," highlighted how AI innovation is becoming a client expectation across services including audit and tax. As professional services firms like CohnReznick embed AI-driven quality improvements while reducing costs, the technology's monumental impact continues to expand from operational automation to influencing multimillion-dollar investment decisions.
