WHEN a network of certified public accountants (CPAs) from Argentina, Australia, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom, among others, descended for the first time en masse upon the town of Malay in Aklan, they flew in on the winds of change, driven by the promise of growth trajectories, especially in the digital space where accounting intersected with artificial intelligence (AI). At what became the nesting grounds of Movenpick Resort & Spa Boracay and the Station 1 beachfronts from Wednesday, July 10, to Friday, July 12, the international delegates spread their minds' wings and soared on the lofty ideals of applying generative technologies to address real-world accounting problems in real-time.

At the Urbach Hacker Young (UHY) International Ltd. regional conference, titled "Driving growth through change," a series of knowledge-skills upgrading talks and a fun-run/walk-for-a-cause culminating activity hatched in the delegates' minds the fledgling thrust to coast on the currents of AI-assisted solutions. Taking the flock under its wing was UHY member firm M.L. Aguirre & Co., CPAs, which organized and hosted the regional conference for its maiden flight in the Philippines, piloted by firm founder and Managing Partner Michael "Mhike" Aguirre.

About the Filipino firm, UHY International Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Rhys Madoc said: "I would say the firm itself has grown tremendously. Michael Aguirre brings a strong, infectious enthusiasm and energy to the role."

UHY International Ltd. incoming Chairman Roberto Macho concurred, saying, "I can't agree more because we were right: Michael has been a great contributor to UHY over the years, and he keeps doing that with all his energy and all his new initiatives. We really enjoy that from the network perspective."

About the network that included Aguirre's firm, UHY International Ltd. Marketing and Brand Manager Felicity Sandford said, "I've worked for the big four [global accounting firms], and what I can say is that I feel that this is a company that is really comfortable in its own skin, which is really nice, but [it's] fully ambitious as well. It's really good to have that balance."

Madoc added, "This was absolutely the way to go this time because [Michael's firm has] grown tremendously in the breadth of services; client base, of course; the number of partners and the number of staff in the organization; and launching areas such as Babylon 2K, a superb and innovative initiative."

Macho lauded network member innovations such as this, saying: "In all professional services firms, AI is a very disruptive revolution."

"Accountants won't be replaced by AI, but accountants using AI will replace accountants," Madoc warned.

Macho continued that there was this concept that had been around for a while, called "centaurs," which was human beings working together with machines or AI, working more efficiently; not just one thing or the other.

Sandford explained that growth for UHY International Ltd. network members such as Aguirre's firm was all about people, corporate values and being birds of the same feather.

"It's about the culture [and] nothing else," Sandford concluded.