At the recent Xerocon event in Brisbane, Xero announced a suite of innovations designed to reshape how accountants, bookkeepers, and small businesses manage their financial operations. At the centre of this is JAX (Just Ask Xero), an AI financial superagent built to automate routine tasks, streamline workflows, and provide actionable insights—freeing professionals to focus on strategic advice and client relationships.
Diya Jolly, Xero’s Chief Product and Technology Officer, highlighted the sector’s pressing challenges, including talent shortages, economic uncertainty, regulatory complexity, and compliance pressures. She noted that these factors often prevent accountants from dedicating time to high-value work. Xero’s AI features, she explained, are intended to reduce this burden, giving practitioners more capacity for client engagement and strategic growth.
JAX is positioned as the next stage in AI assistance for finance. Unlike traditional virtual assistants, it learns how each business operates and automates multiple workflows in the background. By coordinating several AI agents simultaneously, JAX reduces repetitive work and adapts to changing business needs, supporting quicker and smarter decision-making.
Xero also introduced the Partner Hub, a unified platform that consolidates essential practice tools into one interface. Designed as a single source of truth, the hub simplifies navigation, client management, and staff collaboration to create a more efficient working environment.
A further highlight is the new workpapers solution, developed with BGL. It automates the download of ledger data from Xero and tax data from the Australian Taxation Office, significantly reducing errors and manual entry time. This shift allows accountants to concentrate on advisory roles and financial strategy.
Enhancements to Syft Analytics were also unveiled, offering improved forecasting, advanced reporting, and multi-entity consolidations. These tools, available at no extra cost for eligible plans, aim to strengthen advisory capabilities by deepening insights into client financial health.
Looking ahead, Xero plans to introduce features such as progress payments and online statements, allowing staged payments and multi-invoice settlements. These developments are intended to improve cash flow management and simplify reconciliation processes for small businesses.
The company is also updating its homepage and navigation to provide a personalised, insight-rich experience. This redesign will offer faster access to key functions while highlighting critical areas that require attention.
While adopting new AI-driven systems may involve adjustment challenges—such as learning curves and integration with existing tools—the long-term trajectory is positive. Xero’s focus on automation and insight reflects a commitment to responsible AI innovation, helping accountants and small businesses cut administrative overheads, strengthen client relationships, and drive sustainable growth.
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