CFOs and AI: Insights from the Latest Industry Research

Introduction

Organizations are accelerating their artificial intelligence (AI) investments. Alongside those moves, finance leaders are being asked to establish the vision and navigate the practical realities of implementation, ownership, and workforce readiness.

This eBook distills the latest research from OneStream's 2025 Finance AI Study, revealing how chief financial officers (CFOs) are balancing ambition with pragmatism. Through six focused sections, you'll explore the stats, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of AI in finance.

CFOs Take the Lead in AI Strategy

CFOs are now more likely than chief technology officers (CTOs) or chief information officers (CIOs) to lead organizations' AI strategies. This shift signals a change in ownership and accountability.

This CFO AI leadership role is driven by a sense of accountability for tools, data, and outcomes, even with the ambiguous ownership model. Reflecting AI's cross-functional impact, CFOs are collaborating more closely with both IT and executive leadership.

This new responsibility surfaces both confidence and pressure. While 67% of CFOs believe their AI strategy is ahead of the curve, 86% report being influenced by competitors' investments. Another 12% worry about falling behind. Thus, the CFO role is clearly evolving — from financial steward to AI-enabled strategist.

Who's Leading AI Strategy

The survey reveals a striking trend: 75% of CFOs report leading their organizations' AI strategy. Comparatively, 42% of CTOs/CIOs and 27% of CEOs are leading the charge.

Board Support and the ROI Imperative

Boards support AI investment but demand clear evidence of return on investment (ROI), cost savings, and productivity gains.

CFOs are feeling the heat from their boards:

The Top Metrics Boards Want to See

This focus on measurable outcomes is shaping how CFOs approach AI deployment. Alongside high pressure to deliver tangible results, the opportunity to demonstrate value and secure ongoing investment is also high.

Confidence vs. Preparedness

CFOs are confident in their AI knowledge, but true expertise and readiness to scale remain limited.

But most of that falls into the "good" category — only 35% claim "excellent" expertise.

Overall, CFOs seem literate in AI terminology but may lack the deep knowledge needed for large-scale deployment. A clear gap exists between aspiration and reality. While CFOs are eager to leverage AI for advanced decision-making and generative capabilities, building true fluency and operational readiness is an ongoing journey.

AI Investments Set to Surge

CFOs expect significant increases in AI investment for both their organizations and finance departments in 2026.

According to the survey, 83% of CFOs anticipate increased AI spending organization-wide in 2026, with 80% expecting the same for finance specifically.

The Momentum Behind AI Investment Is Undeniable

• Up to 50%

  is the increase most CFOs predict for their planned AI investment.

• 22%

  foresee even greater investment ahead.

• 93%

  report clearly understanding the ROI on current AI investments.

• 59%

  now view AI as a value generator rather than a cost center.

This investment surge reflects growing confidence in AI's ability to drive business value, but also raises the stakes for successful implementation and measurable outcomes.

Barriers and Risks on the Road to AI Scale

CFOs face significant barriers to scaling AI, including talent shortages, integration challenges, and data quality issues. Despite optimism, CFOs are realistic about the hurdles ahead. Top barriers to AI adoption are:

CFOs also point to clear risks in standing still: 72% believe the greatest risk is delaying AI adoption, while about half (48%) cite slower decision-making and lack of real-time insights as a key risk.

CFOs want AI to be easy to implement and additive to daily operations, not a disruptive burden. Addressing these barriers is critical to uncovering AI's full potential in finance.

AI Use Cases in Finance — From Close to Forecast

CFOs are deploying AI across core finance functions, with financial close, forecasting, and risk management leading the way.

AI transforms how finance teams operate. Per the survey, the top two current use cases for AI in finance are financial close and consolidation (36%) and forecasting and planning (25%). Risk and compliance, and workforce planning (15% each), tie to come in third.

Moving forward, CFOs plan to expand AI adoption significantly: 62% aim to use AI for financial close and consolidation, 58% for forecasting and planning, and 53% for risk and compliance. Beyond automation, CFOs are exploring AI for advanced decision-making tools (61%) and generative capabilities (60%) to create new content and solutions. These use cases reflect a shift from operational efficiency to strategic enablement.

Conclusion

The 2025 Finance AI Study paints a picture of CFOs at the forefront of AI transformation: confident, ambitious, but also clear-eyed about the challenges ahead.

As investment swells and expectations rise, the path to AI maturity will require more than just a vision. Collaboration, upskilling, and a relentless focus on measurable outcomes are also essential. The journey from aspiration to reality is underway, and finance leaders are poised to shape the future of AI in business.

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