The Woodard Report Podcast: Featuring Heather Satterley and Joe Woodard Episode 139 - AI, Accountants, and Innovation: Byron Patrick on the Future of Learning - The Woodard Report Podcast
Sep 17, 2025
Byron K. Patrick, a CPA and tech innovator who co-founded TB Academy, discusses how AI is revolutionizing accounting education and practice. He details the hands-on courses offered by TB Academy and shares favorite tools like Gamma.app and Google's Notebook LM. Byron warns against pitfalls like poor prompting, while showcasing practical AI applications in real life. He also delves into exciting near-future developments, including Microsoft Copilot and advanced automation capabilities, emphasizing their potential impact on the accounting profession.
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Episode notes
Prompting Is Good Communication
- Foundations in prompting are universal across ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot because they rely on communication skills.
- Teaching prompting as good communication prepares accountants for any generative AI platform.
Use Case Studies For Real Skills
- Use case-study driven training to show practical AI applications for financial analysis and process design.
- Require foundations first, then teach advanced prompts through realistic accounting scenarios.
AI Training Fits All Career Levels
- AI training should target all career stages because both junior and senior accountants benefit.
- Mature professionals make up roughly half of TB Academy students, showing broad demand.
