The Virginia Society of CPAs is partnering with 10 other state CPA groups to offer a course on artificial intelligence and where it fits in with accounting ethics.

“AI Ethics 2023: Balancing on the Tightrope” is offered by the VSPA as part of its suite of Essential Ethics courses, in partnership with the Alabama Society of CPAs, the California Society of CPAs, the Idaho Society of CPAs, the Illinois CPA Society, the Indiana CPA Society, the Kentucky Society of CPAs, the Society of Louisiana CPAs, the Minnesota Society of CPAs, the Oklahoma Society of CPAs, the Oregon Society of CPAs and the Washington Society of CPAs.

The course covers AI-related topics using real-world cases and discussions. It examines the emerging regulatory frameworks for AI, analyzes different vulnerabilities and risks associated with AI, offers strategies for mitigating risks to ensure ethical practices, and discusses the ethical challenges posed by AI.

“CPAs have been talking about AI for years, but with widespread AI implementation this year, as well as the introduction of ChatGPT, the time was right to quickly develop a comprehensive course addressing the ethical issues surrounding AI,” said VSCPA president  and CEO Stephanie Peters in a statement.

The course is hosted and written by entrepreneur Ace Callwood, a director at the Envoy consulting firm. Guests include David Vogeleer, CTO of online insurance provider Buddy, and Jamie Jones Miller, dean and CEO of the Arlington Campus of Northeastern University.

The course is offered on demand via webcast and satisfies the ethics requirement for Virginia CPAs with two CPE credits for ethics and 0.5 for technology, and is available to CPAs, finance and business professionals nationwide. The course has been approved by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy.

Essential Ethics also includes courses on recruiting and retaining diverse talent, tales of corruption, tax ethics, and more, along with an Ethics Resource Center with articles and whitepapers.