Perplexity Goes After Tax Prep, IRS Testing Palantir for Audits

What happens when AI starts doing more than answering questions? Blake and David dig into Perplexity’s move into tax prep and bookkeeping, the IRS testing Palantir to help select audit targets, and why many firms still aren’t seeing real ROI from AI. They also unpack the surprising success of Trump accounts and what all of this could mean for accountants, firm workflows, and the future of the profession.SponsorsOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casREFRAME 2026 - http://accountingpodcast.promo/reframe2026Wurthy - http://accountingpodcast.promo/wurthyChapters(00:00) - TAP 482 (02:37) - Trump Accounts Boom (07:22) - CPE With Earmark (08:38) - Perplexity Targets Taxes (12:32) - AI Agents And Moats (23:43) - Claude Cowork Bookkeeping (30:25) - Digits Outcome Pricing (30:58) - Digits Pay For Performance (31:25) - Zero Touch Guarantee (31:56) - Pricing Power Debate (32:20) - Switching GL Friction (33:11) - Reframe Conference Sponsor (34:26) - AI Security Banter (35:14) - IRS Palantir Snap Audits (39:09) - AI ROI Wrong Math (44:27) - Find The Bottleneck (46:14) - Automate Client Intake (48:02) - Claude PBC Workflow (54:40) - Weekly Close Discipline (56:13) - DHS Tax Extension Story (57:48) - Mentoring And Webinars (59:15) - Future Firm Tech Stack (01:01:45) - Wrap Up And CPE  Show Notes4 Million Children Have Been Signed Up for Trump Accounts with 1 Million Claiming the $1,000 Pilot Program Contributionhttps://www.irs.gov/newsroom/4-million-children-have-been-signed-up-for-trump-accounts-with-1-million-claiming-the-1000-pilot-program-contributionIntroducing Computer for Taxeshttps://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/introducing-computer-for-taxesThe IRS Wants Smarter Audits. Palantir Could Help Decide Who Gets Flaggedhttps://dnyuz.com/2026/03/30/the-irs-wants-smarter-audits-palantir-could-help-decide-who-gets-flagged/Digits Announces Outcome-Based Pricinghttps://www.accountingtoday.com/news/digits-announces-outcome-based-pricingYour AI Business Case Is Built on the Wrong Mathhttps://www.cfo.com/news/your-ai-business-case-is-built-on-the-wrong-math-throughput-accounting-productivity/816014/Treasury and IRS Announce Tax Filing Relief to DHS Personnelhttps://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0431Need CPE?Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comGet in TouchThanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040.SponsorshipsAre you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus.Need Accounting Conference Info? Check out our new website - accountingconferences.comLimited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessitiesTeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merchSubscribeApple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/OvercastClassifieds REFRAME 2026 - http://accountingpodcast.promo/reframe2026Want to get the word out about your newsletter, webinar, party, Facebook group, podcast, e-book, job posting, or that fancy Excel macro you just created? Let the listeners of The Accounting Podcast know by running a classified ad. Go here to create your classified ad: https://cloudacctpod.link/RunClassifiedAdTranscriptsThe full transcript for this episode is available by clicking on the Transcript tab at the top of this page