Employer Attitudes
Organisational Readiness
Recruitment & Workforce Implications
From Awareness to Action
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Adapting to
Intelligence
How AI in Accounting and Finance is Reshaping the Profession.
Our report reflects a profession divided on the pace and scope of AI adoption.
38% felt they were “open but cautious” towards the use of AI in accounting and finance. A further 27% were actively exploring use cases. However, this open-mindedness is yet to translate to formal strategy. Only 23% of organisations reported a formal AI strategy, more than a third were still developing their approach and 22% admitted adoption is still siloed, with individual teams exploring AI use without a central strategy.
Leaders were concerned around a lack of AI literacy among employees and an uneven understanding of risks at the leadership level. They also had ongoing questions about whether their organisation has the right skills to support transformation.
Explore why so many accounting and finance leaders recognise AI’s potential, but struggle plan for its successful implementation.
Our research shows that organisational culture, rather than technology, remains the key barrier to AI readiness. While nearly 80% of finance organisations report some level of alignment on AI adoption, only 34% describe their leadership as “very aligned,” with a further 45% “somewhat aligned.” Meanwhile, 21% of organisations report poor alignment at the top. This demonstrates that, although progress is being made, alignment is not yet universal, and without stronger consensus, AI initiatives risk remaining fragmented and underperforming.
For many employers, the problem is not whether AI works but whether they can embed AI in accounting and finance functions consistently and in a way that delivers lasting value. The most common operational barriers cited by finance leaders include poor data infrastructure, unclear strategies, and a sense that AI is not yet seen as a business priority. These issues reflect the challenge of moving from pilots to scaled adoption.
Workforce strategy remains one of the most pressing issues preventing widespread adoption of AI in accounting and finance. Our survey revealed that 57% of accounting and finance teams are not currently prioritising recruitment for AI-related skills, despite recognising the importance of digital transformation. Only 19% are proactively hiring for AI capability, and a further 25% view AI skills as useful but not essential.
Finance professionals are increasingly aware that digital and AI fluency will shape their careers, and many expect employers to provide training opportunities. When organisations fail to offer this, they risk losing talent to those that will. Over time, this could limit the profession’s ability to fully capitalise on the benefits of AI.
AI promises increased efficiency, accuracy, and new opportunities for strategic insight. But this is only possible if organisations can align strategy, leadership, and workforce readiness.
The future of AI in accounting and finance will be defined by how people and technology work together to create better outcomes. Now is the time to invest in skills, build trust, and embed AI as a core part of the profession’s future. Success depends on moving from awareness to sustained action.
Bridge the gap between vision and reality with actionable steps to build AI readiness and drive successful implementation in accounting and finance.
