Are accountants no longer “professionals”? We unpack the DOE proposal that could slash grad loan limits—and what AICPA/NASBA plans to do about it. Plus: Deloitte’s AI-made citations, EY’s audit turnaround, PwC’s end‑to‑end AI audit ambitions, and OpenAI’s circular investment into accounting rollups. We also cover Xero’s new auto‑reconcile, Intuit’s small‑biz data ad play, and two practical wins: Google’s shared inboxes and unexpected networking tactics for landing that first job.SponsorsCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casACFE - http://accountingpodcast.promo/acfeOnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpayChapters(00:00) - Introduction and Podcast Overview (00:44) - Headline: Accountants No Longer Professionals? (02:18) - Department of Education's Proposal and Reactions (03:50) - Implications for Accounting Students and Professionals (09:28) - Deloitte's AI Work Swap Controversy (12:46) - EY's Audit Quality Improvements (20:56) - Economic Update: Tariffs and Job Market (34:02) - Circular AI Investments: A Closer Look (36:31) - AI Tools for Accountants: New Features (39:32) - Xero's New Pricing and AI Policies (49:13) - PWC's AI-Driven Audit Automation (52:39) - Google Workspace Shared Inboxes (55:49) - Dissolution of the Department of Government Efficiency (56:47) - Career Networking Tips for Accountants (01:01:16) - Outsourcing Talent: A Global Perspective  Show NotesDepartment of Education Accounting Professional Degree Classificationhttps://www.newsweek.com/full-list-degrees-professional-trump-administration-11085695 Accountants Inexplicably Deemed "Not Professional" Under OBBBA Student Loan Rules https://www.goingconcern.com/accountants-inexplicably-deemed-not-professional-under-obba-student-loan-rules/ Department of Education Unclassifies Accounting as a Professional Degree https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2025/11/24/department-of-education-unclassifies-accounting-as-a-professional-degree/173875/ Deloitte allegedly cited AI-generated research in a million-dollar report for a Canadian provincial government https://fortune.com/2025/11/25/deloitte-caught-fabricated-ai-generated-research-million-dollar-report-canada-government/ Major N.L. healthcare report contains errors likely generated by A.I. https://theindependent.ca/news/lji/major-n-l-healthcare-report-contains-errors-likely-generated-by-a-i/ N.L. asks Deloitte to carry out review after 'incorrect' citations found in $1.6M provincial health planhttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nl-deloitte-citations-9.6990216 OpenAI's investment into Thrive Holdings is its latest circular deal https://techcrunch.com/20