Overview
- Deloitte reports that 57% of finance leaders now play a lead role in shaping enterprise strategy.
- AI use is mainstream in finance, with 63% having fully deployed tools, yet only 21% report clear, measurable ROI and just 14% have fully integrated AI agents.
- Adoption hurdles include legacy technology for early-stage users (41%) and ROI justification (30%), while advanced adopters cite data privacy as the top challenge (57%).
- To close skills gaps, 64% plan to add technical capabilities such as AI and data analysis, and 39% are pursuing specialized AI training as traditional pipelines weaken.
- Succession risks are mounting, with AICPA data showing a 56% drop since 2010 in candidates passing the fourth CPA exam section, prompting calls for human-in-the-loop oversight and reconfigured early-career roles focused on QA and orchestration.