CPE & Event Calendar

This course provides U.S.-based accounting and finance professionals with an in-depth understanding of the EU Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, the first comprehensive AI regulation in the world. It explores the Act's key provisions, including its risk classification framework, compliance requirements for high-risk systems, and transparency obligations. Participants will gain insight into how the Act affects organizations operating internationally and how to prepare for compliance challenges. Interactive activities are integrated throughout the course to reinforce key concepts.

This course offers an in-depth exploration of the "vision" capabilities of ChatGPT specifically tailored for accountants. The session demonstrates how artificial intelligence can interpret and analyze visual content to revolutionize financial management. The curriculum covers a wide range of applications, from understanding GPT Vision and its unique benefits to leveraging aerial and street view imagery for comprehensive financial analysis. Through detailed case studies, participants will learn how to access and utilize GPT Vision effectively, incorporating it into tasks like data visualization, text and object recognition from images, and the use of descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive (DDPP) analysis methods to enhance decision-making processes. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

In this innovative course, participants will learn to combine the power of artificial intelligence with the functionality of Microsoft Excel. You will learn how to leverage ChatGPT, OpenAI's powerful language model, to improve your Excel skills and decrease the time it takes to build spreadsheets. The course will include a quick introduction to ChatGPT but the majority of the time will be spent using ChatGPT to create an Excel spreadsheet. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

As accounting firms and financial institutions deploy agentic AI, they face significant governance challenges. This course focuses on cybersecurity, data governance, and risk management practices essential for the safe and effective use of autonomous systems. Participants will examine frameworks such as NIST AI RMF and the CSA's red-teaming guidelines, as well as case studies on AI-powered cyber incidents. The course equips professionals to assess agentic system vulnerabilities, implement controls, and integrate risk insights into enterprise compliance strategies. This course equips CPAs to fulfill their oversight responsibilities in safeguarding financial data and ensuring the reliability of autonomous systems within the enterprise's control environment.

This course examines how agentic AI is revolutionizing tax compliance, planning, and advisory services. Participants will explore real-world deployments by leading firms such as EY, which has developed agents that handle millions of global tax transactions. The course also delves into cross-border compliance issues, transfer pricing automation, and emerging advisory models powered by agent-led simulations. Risks related to bias, unauthorized practice, and data privacy will be addressed, with guidance on aligning autonomous operations with professional and regulatory standards. CPAs must understand these advancements to ensure tax compliance, manage client expectations, and mitigate professional liability risks when providing agent-assisted advisory services.

This course will explore the use of ChatGPT and artificial intelligence chatbot technologies in the accounting profession. Participants will learn how to utilize ChatGPT to automate tasks, improve efficiency and accuracy, and provide real-time support to clients. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Spear phishing. Ransomware. Malware. Like the threats your business faces, the cybersecurity lexicon is constantly evolving. This comprehensive presentation imparts practical privacy and data security know-how and creates fluency with the latest terminology. Learn best practices for cybersecurity safety, as well as tailored training for those in positions responsible for implementing security policies. It is just as important to be diligent, safe, and well-versed in the attacks that we face in our personal lives.

This course explores the ethical considerations of AI in accounting. Participants will examine the principles of AI data ethics, regulatory requirements, and strategies for ethical AI use.

Data security is a front-of-mind topic for most businesses because the risk and cost statistics are sobering. Each of us is in the crosshairs because a typical internet-connected computer faces a cyberattack every 39 seconds. Businesses of all sizes should be cognizant of the ethical issues that must be considered when planning their approach to privacy and data security. In this webinar, we will explore both the risks we have traditionally faced in the workplace personally, as well as the novel set of data privacy threats and compliance challenge issues employers face with a remote and mobile workforce.

Should CPAs in public practice use Agentic AI? How? What should I not do? Join us to review how to use AI to assist in Assurance engagements, including testing internal controls.  Agentic AI (‘Artificial Intelligence’) is rapidly being deployed by leading audit, compliance, and finance teams. While AI agents are not yet replacing all of today’s knowledge workers like auditors, accountants, and IT security professionals, the knowledge workers that effectively use Agentic AI may soon be replacing those knowledge workers who do not use these tools to drive high quality business growth and scale. AI is moving beyond automation to become a true teammate, especially in the governance, risk, and compliance processes. This session will show how supervised AI agents can work alongside accountants, auditors and IT security professionals to enhance efficiency, consistency, and assurance quality.  Of critical importance is training and supervision so that the AI agents accomplish their testing to the intended quality standards. Attendees will leave with a practical view of how AI-powered testing can be applied to both internal and external assurance.

This course provides a concise overview of how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming financial strategies, tax compliance, and audit practices in the global retail industry. As retailers deploy AI to personalize customer experiences, automate inventory, and optimize pricing, accounting professionals must adapt to new challenges in data integrity, regulatory compliance, and financial reporting. Drawing on real-world case studies from retail giants and small businesses alike, this course explores how AI technologies intersect with accounting workflows and outlines strategies to maintain accuracy, trust, and control in an AI-driven marketplace. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming industries and redefining how organizations operate. While the benefits of AI-efficiency, automation, data-driven insights, and innovation-are significant, the risks are equally profound and demand careful consideration. AI introduces a range of technical risks, such as bias, lack of transparency, data dependency, and vulnerability to manipulation. Ethical risks arise in the form of workforce disruption, diminished accountability, potential misuse, and the erosion of human autonomy. On a broader societal scale, AI threatens to widen inequalities, accelerate disinformation, and erode trust in institutions, while raising concerns of cultural homogenization and disproportionate power concentration among a few entities. Governance challenges further complicate the landscape, as regulation struggles to keep pace with technological advances, and questions emerge about the long-term safety and alignment of advanced AI systems. Leaders and organizations must recognize that AI is not only a technological innovation but also a strategic risk management issue. Responsible adoption requires robust governance, transparent and ethical frameworks, ongoing monitoring, and human oversight. By proactively addressing these risks, organizations can balance innovation with accountability, safeguard trust, and position themselves for sustainable success in an AI-driven future. Note:  This is Part 1 in a two-part series on the risks of AI

This course explores the data analytics aspects of AI in accounting. Participants will develop skills in leveraging AI tools for enhanced data analytics.

This hands-on course introduces accountants, auditors, and finance professionals to agentic AI by simulating autonomous behavior using the basic version of ChatGPT. Participants will use role-play, prompt engineering, and guided interaction loops to create agents that simulate planning, decision-making, and communication workflows. No coding or advanced access is required. Participants will practice designing task-specific prompts, simulating agent autonomy using flipped interaction patterns, and evaluating agent output for risk and effectiveness. This course makes agentic AI accessible to all learners through practical, scenario-based exercises using tools they already have.

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a future concept; it is a current necessity. This session provides a practical roadmap for practitioners to leverage AI safely and effectively. We move from a survey of available tools (from free apps to specialized software) to a deep dive into the ethical guardrails required to protect client data and maintain professional standards. Participants will leave with a playbook of real-world use cases that can be implemented immediately.

This session is designed as a primer to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) and to discuss how it will impact accountants as they work. The material will briefly explain what AI is and then focus on ways that it is already serving those in the accounting realm. It will close with a look at future AI-centric developments that will have great potential to positively impact the accounting profession. Those wishing to gain an understanding of what artificial intelligence is and how it will be used by accountants should consider attending this session. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Organizations and individuals enticed by the siren song of artificial intelligence cannot ignore ethical considerations. Professionals must consider accuracy of information, data privacy, independence, source citations, organizational policies, security, data retention, and other ethical matters. This course discusses ethical issues associated with the utilization of AI in a professional setting and provides suggested best practices. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This course offers an in-depth exploration of the "vision" capabilities of ChatGPT specifically tailored for accountants. The session demonstrates how artificial intelligence can interpret and analyze visual content to revolutionize financial management. The curriculum covers a wide range of applications, from understanding GPT Vision and its unique benefits to leveraging aerial and street view imagery for comprehensive financial analysis. Through detailed case studies, participants will learn how to access and utilize GPT Vision effectively, incorporating it into tasks like data visualization, text and object recognition from images, and the use of descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive (DDPP) analysis methods to enhance decision-making processes. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Participants will learn to create customized AI chatbots that can enhance client interaction and internal operations-all without coding experience. This course provides a concise overview of specialized, task-oriented AI chatbots and GPT builders, focusing on how these technologies are revolutionizing professional workflows. Through hands-on exploration of platforms like AgentGPT, Claude Projects, Gemini Gems, and NotebookLM, participants will learn to design, deploy, and manage custom AI assistants tailored to their specific needs. The course emphasizes creating advanced AI apps that can understand context and solve complex problems autonomously. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

You could pay $0 for this course!"Discover the real-world power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and equip yourself with the skills to conquer modern challenges in accounting and finance. In this engaging course, we demystify AI and unveil its practical applications, transforming it from theory into a hands-on tool. Learn the essential AI fundamentals and unlock its remarkable potential to boost your productivity and effectiveness alongside your team.Explore the specific problem-solving capabilities of AI, tailored to address the unique challenges faced by accounting and financial professionals. Gain expertise in leveraging AI features integrated into everyday applications, including the ubiquitous Excel. Uncover how these features enable you to effortlessly detect fraud, identify potential transaction errors, and elevate your financial operations to new heights. Witness firsthand how AI is reshaping the present and future of your profession, positioning you at the forefront of this revolutionary wave." Massachusetts firms/companies with fewer than 50 staff can be reimbursed up to 100% of the cost of training and firms/companies with 50-100 employees can be reimbursed up to 50% of the cost of training. You must register for the course and apply for reimbursement through the Massachusetts Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks prior to the start of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-15308 To learn more, click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@necpas.org.