Bright at Accountex 2026: a new brand, AI on the horizon, and what’s coming next

Accountex London 2026 is done. Two incredible days, thousands of accountants and finance professionals on the floor, and some of the best conversations we have had in years. Thank you to everyone who stopped by the stand.

Here is what we heard, what we shared, and what is coming next.

We launched our new brand

Accountex felt like the natural place to bring our new brand to life for the first time. Not because it was a convenient backdrop, but because the conversations happening on that floor were exactly the ones our new positioning is built around.

Our new brand is built around a simple belief: understanding is the difference between working and winning. When software truly understands the people behind the practice, everything runs better. That is the promise we are making to every accountant, payroll bureau, and business owner we serve.

This is not a rebrand for the sake of it. It is a refresh that finally brings our visual identity, tone of voice, and product positioning in line with who we actually are: a company that takes our customers’ work as seriously as they do.

AI was the conversation at Accountex this year

One key theme dominated the floor this year – AI. Practices are no longer asking whether to adopt AI. They are asking how to do it in a way they can trust. That is exactly the right question, and it is one we have been thinking hard about at Bright.

AI at Bright

Our approach is straightforward: AI should enhance professional judgement, not replace it. It should reduce admin, improve accuracy, and give practitioners back time for the work that matters. It should work quietly in the background, and it should never compromise control.

That philosophy runs through everything we are building. We have new AI products and features in development across the Bright suite right now, and we want the right people to see them first.

Join Bright’s Early Adopter Programme for early access to new AI features before general release, a direct line to share feedback, and regular updates on what is coming next.

Our talks: the questions that matter

Ben Bishop, Bright’s Chief Product and Technology Officer, packed out the AI Theatre on day one with a talk every accountant considering AI software should hear: the questions you should be asking your supplier before you buy.

On day two, Euan Matthews, Head of AI at Bright, showed exactly why that question matters with a practical session on how accountants are already getting real value from AI, cutting through the noise to focus on what actually works.

MTD for ITSA: everything your practice needs in one place

Close behind AI, Making Tax Digital for ITSA dominated the floor. Firms have moved beyond the compliance question and into the practical one: how do we support different types of clients efficiently, without creating more work for our teams?

Bright has built a connected suite of MTD products to help practices answer exactly that. From receipt capture for the clients who would rather photograph a bag of receipts than log into software, to bookkeeping and quarterly filing, through to tax submission and a central command centre to manage it all across your client base. One suite of connected products, built for accountants, ready for your clients.

What’s next from Bright

If Accountex showed us anything, it is that the profession is asking better questions than ever. Better questions about AI, about compliance, about growth. We are building the answers.

The Bright universe is broader than you might imagine. New products, new features, and new ways to help your practice run better are all on the way.

Keep your eyes open. The best is still to come.

That’s Bright.

This content may have been developed with the assistance of AI tools. Content is reviewed by a member of the Bright team before publication. Guidance on legislation can be obtained from your industry body.