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Why I Joined Tellen

April 22, 2025
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Paul Gerlich

Why I Joined Tellen

Monday I started my journey as Head of Engineering at Tellen, the world's first Agentic AI platform built specifically for audit.

As I think about where this is all headed, I keep coming back to the same feeling: The future of work is more uncertain than it's ever been. None of us really know if, in 20 years, we'll be operating business as usual... or all-hands-on-deck building paperclips.

But one thing feels increasingly inevitable: agents, and the workflows they enable, will be a fundamental part of how work gets done.

I've been thinking about AI and audit for a long time.

My career started at Workiva, where I helped build their operational audit solution and later led development of their public API for external audit partners. That led to a string of startups, a master's degree in AI/ML from UIUC, and eventually, back into the audit space at AuditBoard.

There, I had the chance to help lead engineering on both the SOX audit and API/integration platforms. I also became, as anyone on my team will tell you, a relentless AI evangelist. I joined just as ChatGPT hit the mainstream, and to me, the implications for audit were immediately clear.

The future of audit is automated.

The future of audit is human review of AI (now we call them agentic) workflows.

That's what pulled me to Tellen.

I'm not totally sure what software looks like when so much of the busywork can be handled by agents. None of us are, really. Do firms still need rigid point solutions that force them to reshape their process around someone else's model and UI? Or can we meet users where they are, automate the complexity, and elevate them into reviewer mode?

What stood out to me about Tellen wasn't just the technology, but the clarity of the vision. This isn't about replacing auditors or upending firms. It's about giving teams more leverage. It's about removing the grind, automating the tedious, and letting professionals focus on the parts of the job that actually require judgment.

When I saw what the team had built, it felt like something I'd been circling around for years. A platform that doesn't just layer on more tooling, but fundamentally rethinks how work flows. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reimagine work from the beginning, and exactly the kind of problem I'm excited to solve.

If you're an engineer, designer, founder, or investor excited about the future of agentic software — we should talk.

We're just getting started.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn how Tellen’s AI Agent Workforce powers modern accounting firms.

What is Tellen’s AI Agent Workforce?

Tellen’s AI Agent Workforce is a suite of specialized AI-powered agents designed for accounting firms. These agents automate audit workflows, financial statement preparation, and footnote disclosures while ensuring security, compliance, and transparency.

How do Tellen’s AI agents help accounting firms scale?

By automating time-intensive tasks like substantive testing, financial reporting, and consistency checks, Tellen enables firms to handle more engagements without increasing headcount. This drives higher efficiency, capacity, and profitability.

Are Tellen’s AI agents secure?

Yes. Tellen deploys directly into your firm’s cloud environment (Azure, AWS, or GCP), ensuring that sensitive client data never leaves your control. The platform is also SOC 2 Type II certified, providing enterprise-grade security and compliance.

Can Tellen’s AI agents adapt to our firm’s unique workflows?

Absolutely. Tellen’s agents are dynamic learners. They are trained on your firm’s proprietary data, policies, and tech stack, creating a shared knowledge base that evolves with each engagement.

What accounting tasks can Tellen’s agents automate?

Tellen automates tasks across every audit stage, including:

  • Planning: Research and guidance from accounting standards.
  • Fieldwork: Substantive and control testing.
  • Reporting: Drafting financial statements and footnotes.
  • Review: Consistency checks and quality scans.

How does Tellen improve audit quality?

Tellen ensures accuracy and compliance by cross-referencing data, logging every AI decision, and providing 100% traceable outputs backed by verifiable sources—so your audit files are complete, consistent, and trustworthy.

What ROI can accounting firms expect with Tellen?

Firms using Tellen report significant time savings, revenue-per-employee growth, and improved engagement capacity. For example, one firm achieved 332% ROI and saved nearly 300 hours using AI agents.

Does Tellen integrate with our existing software?

Yes. Tellen seamlessly integrates with tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, SharePoint, OneDrive, Copilot, Caseware, Wolters Kluwer, Thomson Reuters, and Inflo—fitting into your existing audit workflow.

How is Tellen different from generic AI tools?

Unlike generic AI or off-the-shelf automation software, Tellen is purpose-built for accounting. It is secure, compliance-focused, and continuously adapts to your firm’s unique processes, ensuring firm-specific intelligence.

How can we get started with Tellen?

You can schedule a demo or consultation via our Contact page. Our team will guide you through setup, deployment, and training so your firm can start scaling with AI-powered efficiency.