30
Nov
When information services and technology firm Thomson Reuters Corp. acquired accounting software firm Materia in October, it paved the way for what it sees as the future of its business. Materia, which is the business name of Credere Technologies Inc., builds software agents that can break down complex queries and consult numerous information sources to deliver a compound answer. Such automation could be a godsend for the accounting profession, which is facing a shortage of up to 3.5 million accountants by 2025. One reason often cited is the volume of tedious information-gathering the job involves. Thomson Reuters’ Wong sees applications…