Is Your AI a Back-Seat Driver? Why Firms Need Team-Mates, Not Just Co-Pilots

Jordan Vickery
Jul 1, 2025
·
3
min read
The Silent Take-over: How AI Slipped into the Ledger
Not long ago, “AI in accounting” meant glorified OCR and some clunky rules-based automation. Fast forward to today and we’ve got bots that summarise tax updates, draft tricky emails, even nudge clients on overdue tasks.
And firms are leaning in. A 2024 UK survey found 63% of accountancy firms already use AI in some form. Across ANZ, it’s similar—firms are adopting everything from chatbots to predictive analytics tools.
But not all AI tools are created equal. And lately, there’s a new divide worth talking about: co-pilots vs. team-mates.
Co-Pilot AI — The Reactive Sidekick
Co-pilot AI is what most of us first got our hands on. Tools like ChatGPT, Excel’s Copilot, or Xero’s new ‘Ask’ feature. They wait for instructions—then leap into action.
Think of them like a very bright intern who only speaks when spoken to. You prompt, they respond. Need a VAT summary? A bulleted meeting recap? A snappy LinkedIn caption? Just ask, and it’s yours.
These tools shine when you know exactly what you want:
Ad hoc research
Drafting messages
Explaining regulations in plain English
But there’s a catch. It’s all on you to drive. You have to prompt well, remember to ask, and know what the tool can do. If your prompt’s vague, you’ll get waffle. If you forget to use it, nothing happens.
And let’s be honest—juggling tabs and writing prompts between client calls and team huddles? It gets tiring. Fast.
Team-Mate AI — The Proactive Colleague
Now imagine an AI tool that doesn’t wait for instructions. It notices that you’ve had a meeting, captures the key points, assigns the next actions, and even nudges your client with a tidy follow-up email.
That’s team-mate AI.
It’s not just answering questions. It’s doing the work—with initiative. It connects to your calendar, email, and task tools, then acts based on context.
Vinyl is a good example here. Our platform quietly joins client calls, takes bulletproof notes, and pushes the actions into your practice systems—without needing you to lift a finger. It’s not reacting. It’s working.
But we also know the value of a co-pilot. That’s why Vinyl comes with its own ‘Ask Vinyl’ feature. It lets you search your transcripts, get reminders, or spin up content and follow-ups—just by asking. So while Vinyl’s doing work behind the scenes, it’s also on hand when you want something done right now.
What makes team-mates different:
They trigger off real events (not prompts)
They use your workflows and preferences
They save you asking altogether
Bonus: the good ones still offer co-pilot-style flexibility
Of course, they need a bit of setup. And there’s a trust curve—letting go is hard when your name’s on the file. But once they’re in, they don’t just assist. They actually lighten your load.
Head-to-Head: Co-Pilots vs Team-Mates
Here’s how the two stack up:
Feature | Co-Pilot AI | Team-Mate AI |
Initiative | Waits for prompt | Acts proactively |
Context memory | Limited to session | Pulls from multiple tools |
Training time | Low | Medium upfront setup |
Compliance risk | Medium (prompt error) | Lower (standardised outputs) |
ROI timeline | Immediate on small tasks | Higher payoff over time |
We’ve heard from partners who love their AI co-pilot for newsletters and client guides—but swear by their proactive tools for recurring admin and client service.
Where Each Shines (and Stumbles)
Use reactive AI when:
You need one-off help drafting something.
You’re brainstorming new service lines.
You’re researching unfamiliar rules
Use proactive AI when:
You’re repeating the same admin every week.
You’re in back-to-back calls and forget follow-ups.
You want consistent client experience—without babysitting it.
Many firms are now pairing the two. Think: co-pilot drafts your blog post, team-mate chases the client review after your planning call. Magic.
Picking the Right Mix for Your Firm
Before jumping in, take a beat. Where does your team waste the most time? Is it switching between apps? Forgetting follow-ups? Manually entering tasks?
Start small. Pilot one tool. Track the hours saved, the tasks completed, and—this one’s key—whether your team actually uses it.
And don’t forget the people side. Upskilling your team, rethinking workflows, building trust in the outputs—that’s where the real gains lie.
The Bottom Line: AI That Pulls Its Weight
Co-pilots are clever. But they’re still waiting for instructions. If your practice is drowning in repeat tasks, client chasers, and team handoffs, it might be time to bring in AI that acts like a real colleague—not just a clever chatbot.
And the best tools? They give you both. Proactive support that gets the job done and on-demand answers when you need them.
Because at the end of the day, we don’t just need tech that answers. We need tech that does.

Co-Founder
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"I've been wary of AI notetakers in the past...but Vinyl just gets it. So easy to set up, and the summaries hone in on all the important items. Everything just happens automatically, reducing all the small tasks that quickly add up."