CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA) has entered into a partnership with Digits, a platform for accounting, which is based on artificial intelligence. The two companies will create an exclusive model of the computerized intelligence trained on the expertise and workflows of the accounting firm clients of the latter. With the partnership initiative, CLA will be in the forefront of the US accounting top 15 firms to build its own AI model and train it on an accounting platform designed for the AI era.
This partnership between two leaders unites Digits’ accounting system that’s built for the AI era with the rich, decades-long knowledge of CLA in accounting, advisory and finance fields. In these 3 years, CLA AI-powered solutions will be rolled out to thousands of active and future clients, helping businesses to get a speedier return on their finance while the role of the accountants is being re-focused on the more strategic consultancy services.
Building an AI Model Around Institutional Expertise
Unlike traditional accounting software that has added AI features to legacy systems, the new initiative centers on an accounting platform built from the ground up with artificial intelligence at its core.
Digits will provide the technology platform and AI model training capabilities, while CLA contributes its institutional knowledge, accounting methodologies, and professional judgment. The resulting proprietary model will be trained exclusively on CLA’s client workflows and accounting practices.
According to the firm, every transaction that accountants review, categorize, or adjust within the Digits platform contributes to improving the intelligence of the model. Over time, the AI continuously learns from CLA’s accounting decisions, allowing its expertise to scale across client engagements.
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Expanding AI Access for Mid-Market Businesses
CLA says the initiative reflects its belief that advanced AI capabilities should be accessible beyond large enterprises with substantial technology budgets.
Jen Leary, CEO of CLA, said the collaboration is intended to make AI-powered accounting available to businesses that serve as the foundation of local economies.
“This moment demands a clear point of view: AI should not belong only to the biggest companies and the biggest firms with the largest budgets. It should reach the people who power the heartbeat of the country, who create jobs, serve communities, and move America forward,” Leary said.
She added that many accounting software providers have incorporated AI into legacy platforms, while Digits chose to build an entirely new architecture designed specifically for AI-native accounting.
“Digits started over and built the right technological solution for the AI era. Together, we’re delivering on the promise of AI-native accounting and helping put financial intelligence directly into our clients’ hands,” Leary said.
Enhancing Advisory Services Through AI
With companies becoming more and more interested in having real-time financial data, CLA is hoping that its AI model will help in providing faster access to financial insights without compromising the firm’s expertize in the professional services. The company is of the view that by automating the boring and repetitive accounting tasks, the accountants will become available for more important works such as consulting, financial planning, and business advisory instead of keeping ledger books and processing transactions manually.
In the sense that this AI model would definitely help and enhance accountants by offering their expertise and insight to a huge number of clients at the same time rather than getting the accountants replaced by it. In industries like manufacturing construction restaurants, non-profits, civic institutions, and many other privately held enterprises, the team of the firm and AI will be providing the client support.
Digits Provides the AI Infrastructure
Jeff Seibert, Founder and CEO of Digits, said the collaboration demonstrates how artificial intelligence can strengthen the relationship between accounting firms and their clients.
“Business owners rely on their accountants for financial judgment, guidance, and peace of mind. Few firms deliver that combination of expertise and client understanding at the scale CLA does. By embedding decades of accounting knowledge into a firm-specific AI model, we’re enabling CLA professionals to focus their time where it creates the greatest value,” Seibert said.
Initial Deployment Through Client Accounting Services
CLA will first introduce the AI capabilities within its Client Accounting and Advisory Services (CAAS) practice.
The firm’s CAAS division, which represents approximately 15% of CLA’s more than $2 billion in annual revenue, is considered one of the largest accounting advisory practices in the industry. Because these teams work closely with clients’ daily financial operations, they provide an ideal environment for deploying AI-powered accounting assistance.
Clients using CAAS services will have the option to incorporate the Digits platform into their existing engagement, giving them access to AI-assisted financial reporting and advisory capabilities.
Helping Businesses Make Better Financial Decisions
According to Josh Enger, CLA’s Chief Outsourcing Officer, the collaboration creates new opportunities for accountants to focus on interpreting financial information rather than simply processing it.
“With Digits, we’re able to provide current and future clients with a modern digital accounting experience while continuously improving a model designed specifically around their needs. This allows our professionals to spend more time helping clients understand their financial information and make better business decisions,” Enger said.
He added that the initiative supports CLA’s long-term strategy of expanding business consulting services while helping organizations extract greater value from their financial data.
By combining AI-native accounting technology with decades of institutional expertise, CLA and Digits aim to reshape how accounting firms deliver financial services—bringing intelligent automation into everyday accounting operations while preserving the professional judgment and advisory capabilities that remain central to client relationships.
