Blake and David discuss a wealth of timely topics, including the risks of filing taxes electronically versus by mail, the impact of the 150-hour rule on diversity in the accounting profession, and how major accounting firms are turning to private equity funding to accelerate growth. They also explore news from the artificial intelligence space, including Google's unveiling of Gemini, as well as ADP's new AI assistant, and examine how deepfake video calls enabled the theft of $25 million. SponsorsRelay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/relayFreshBooks - http://accountingpodcast.promo/freshbooksAirbase - http://accountingpodcast.promo/airbase Chapters(00:29) - Welcome to the show (03:24) - Finance worker pays $25 million after video call with a deep fake of company CFO (08:54) - Is QuickBook taking tax accountants' jobs? (16:23) - Three AI accounting startups raise money funding round (25:14) - Baker Tilly is now private-equity-owned (27:32) - How much do the Big 4 spend on lobbying? (31:52) - The Wall Street Journal's terrible opinion piece of E-filing (38:25) - 13 states are suing the IRS for direct file system (40:15) - MIT study on effects of 150-hour rule (46:28) - Dual licensed CPAs and CMAs earn almost $40k more per year (49:17) - Google releases Gemini and is retiring BARD (53:33) - ADP launches ADP Assist (56:48) - Gemini also now does AI art (59:25) - Thanks for listening and please fill out our survey   Show Notes Finance Employee Defrauded for $25M by Deepfake CFO Dual Certifications Mean Big Bucks for Accountants - CPA Practice Advisor Baker Tilly US gets PE investment | Accounting Today Big Four Lobby Congress on Accounting Pipeline, AI, Crypto Beware of E-Filing Your Tax Return QuickBooks Live Tax Update: Understanding QuickBooks customers use of tax prep services Accounting software startup Pennylane becomes France’s latest unicorn | TechCrunch Google’s Gemini is now in everything. Here’s how you can try it out. Accounting body tells members to make annual pledge to be ethical     Platform Accounting Group gets $85M funding round    Finally, now with $10M, adds AI for better insight into small business accounting     AI Will Be Doing More Accounting If Startup Investors Have Their Way     ADP launches ADP Assist genAI assistant     Republican attorneys general denounce IRS free file pilot as rival to products like TurboTax     Higher tax filing costs could take a bite out of your refund     DataSnipper, startup that uses AI to eliminate some of the ‘dread’ in accounting, is valued at $1 billion in latest funding round     Platform Accounting Group Secures $85 million in Funding Led by Cynosure Group     Finally Raises $10 Million to Expand Small Business Automation Solutions     Finally, the AI-Powered Accounting & Finance Suite, Closes $10M Raise to Propel SMB Growth Forward     France gains a new unicorn as Pennylane raises €40m     QuickBooks Live Tax Update      Beware of E-Filing Your Tax Return     DataSnipper Raises $100M at $1B Valuation to Empower Auditors with AI     Big Four Lobby Congress on Accounting Pipeline, AI, Crypto     Finance worker pays out $25 million after video call with deepfake ‘chief financial officer’     I'm an Accountant and Here's Why I'd Never File My Taxes Online — Best Life  Listener SurveyPlease take our listener survey: https://accounting.show/survey Need CPE? Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.com Get in Touch Thanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver ...