Future Firm Accounting Podcast Why the Billable Hour Might Make a Comeback
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Feb 16, 2026 A rethink of pricing as AI changes what clients value. A founder’s experiment with a low-cost AI product versus high-touch coaching. Why routine technical work may become commoditized and human judgment, time, and trusted access could command premium fees. Practical ideas for shifting to retainers, access-based pricing, and auditing commoditized tasks.
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AI Clone vs High-Touch Coaching
- Ryan Lozanis launched an AI clone called RyanBot and priced it at $19/month while also running a $20,000 group coaching program. 18 firm owners paid for human access despite the cheaper AI offering.
Value Shifts From Output To Human Time
- AI will commoditize technical work, shifting value from information to human time and access. Clients will increasingly pay for trusted human judgment and relationship rather than raw outputs.
Price Access, Not Just Deliverables
- Experiment with retainers, hourly-based access packages, or premium tiers that sell prioritized time rather than deliverables. Avoid reverting to inefficient old timesheet billing but price access to human expertise appropriately.