The Muamalat Newsletter Vol. 2 2024

FEM eNewsletter | December 2024 32 The use of artificial intelligence in the accounting profession has brought about a drastic change in the functioning of an accounting professional (Mei-Ying, 2021). Different from the past when accounting was limited to bookkeeping, financial statements and audits which could be handled manually, now AI tools are taking over these dull functions and assisting the modern accountant to assume more relevant and strategic functions in the organizations (Guo, 2019). This transformation in the practice of accounting has certainly transformed the students’ perception and outlook as far as their career in this field is concerned. This change has made the students worried about the future of their field and what they need to do to be employed in the future. The major concern is the loss of employment as the AI-based systems can solve numerous accounting problems efficiently. This anxiety has resulted into a change in the perception of the accounting students in their education system; they are now more likely to look for technological skills and competencies to complement their accounting knowledge. AI has led the new trends amongst the accounting students- they tend to be more interested with the different types or areas which are technical areas, those who deal with analysis of data or those engaging in problem solving activities (Zhang et al., 2020). Consequently, the students are aware of the fact that there is the need for adaptability and there is need for continual improvement of the skillset and the resources (Akhter & Sultana, 2018). The students will always be depicting the readiness knowing that they are learning new age accounting principles and with it the adopting and strengthening of future trends. This has resulted to changed perception of the accounting students in that they have become more vigilant in seeking for career development and further training. They know that the traditional accounting curriculum may not be enough to ready them for the future, and they are seeking for more experiences and certifications to improve their skills. The Ethical Impact of AI on Accounting Learners Thereareethical considerations arise in these technological developments that affect the preparation of accounting professionals and educators so that students will be prepared for the workplace that is becomingmore and more technical (Zhang et al., 2020; Alghafiqi & Munajat, 2022). The use of AI in decision- making is expanding and this raises issues of accountability, accessibility, and possible prejudice (Alghafiqi & Munajat, 2022). Students of accounting must be provided with the critical thinking skills that will enable them to question the ethical implications of using AI in decisionmaking and to ensure that their work is beyond any form of uncleanness (Zhang et al., 2020). In addition, the use of AI in accounting may have negative effects on the gender balance of the profession. Alderman (2021) asserts that the rising reliance on technology in accounting may erode the earnings of women. This way, accounting educators should help the potential gender gap and ensure that all students have a fair chance to excel in accounting in the future (Alderman, 2021). In their paper, Zhang et al. (2020) mention the need for accounting programs to respond to imperfectionsbymakingcertainalterations. It isalsopertinent tonote that someaccounting programs should be structured in a way that incorporates courses pertaining to the use of AI in the profession. Every student should be inspired to undertake Applied Artificial Intelligence in Accounting (Akhter & Sultana, 2018). Further, accounting educators are urged to partner with practice managers to ensure that the academic syllabus reflects the present trends in the profession (Alghafiqi & Munajat, 2022). Accounting programs, with these ethical considerations, have the