Technology
Financial software vendor OneStream announced on Tuesday the expansion of its agentic AI capabilities with the launch of a financial agent layer, enabling interoperability with third-party systems such as OpenAI ChatGPT, Anthropic Claude, and Microsoft Copilot. It also introduced predictive agents that support natural language queries. This move follows SAP's announcement last week of its "autonomous enterprise" initiative, and industry analysts believe agent interoperability has become a standard requirement. OneStream emphasizes security governance and audit trails to ensure that external AI tools accessing data comply with financial regulatory requirements.
Standard Chartered announced on May 17 the appointment of Manus Costello as Group Chief Financial Officer (subject to regulatory approval), effective immediately as interim Group CFO. Costello will succeed Peter Burrill, who took over as interim CFO on February 10, following the departure of Diego De Giorgi due to external opportunities. The appointment comes ahead of Standard Chartered's Investor Day, as the bank also advances strategic initiatives such as the acquisition of digital asset custody.
The financial technology market is saturated with 'automation' marketing rhetoric, but most tools remain at an assistive level. The article argues that true transformation lies in execution-centric Agentic Performance Management (APM), which can autonomously complete tasks such as reconciliations and journal entry generation, freeing financial teams from manual labor. Through cases like Jiffy Lube and GSPP, along with CPA industry data, it demonstrates that the structural shift from 'human-driven' to 'system-executed' is imminent.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed the revised artificial intelligence bill (Senate Bill 26-189) on Thursday, which will replace SB 24-205, originally scheduled to take effect in June. The new law targets "significant" personnel decisions such as hiring and compensation, requires employers to fulfill notification obligations when using AI tools, and removes references to "algorithmic discrimination." The bill will take effect on January 1, 2027, and applies to all decisions made after that date.
OneTrust's new CFO Douglas Owens emphasized that AI has transformed from an efficiency tool into a strategic core. He plans to deeply integrate AI into finance and operations, drive 'disciplined growth,' and address customers' higher expectations for AI value.
Decentralized finance (DeFi) is moving from abstract concepts to mainstream adoption, bringing tangible changes to B2B payments for mid-sized enterprises. Based on insights from Sergio Almaguer, Chief Product Officer at Paystand, this article examines three use cases—smart contracts, decentralized working capital, and stablecoin settlement—and demonstrates how they optimize cash flow, streamline financing processes, and reduce cross-border settlement costs.
AlphaSense's new CFO Samantha Greenberg stated that she dedicates at least 10 hours weekly to learning AI skills, including workshops, research, and hands-on technical practice. She believes the CFO role has transformed significantly in the AI era and emphasized that finance teams must continuously upskill to support the company's rapid growth.
Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) is undergoing rapid transformation, driven primarily by data, automation, and AI-enabled analytics. Its competitive advantage no longer lies in the models themselves, but in the ability to provide timely, decision-ready scenario analysis that enables leaders to take action. In this model, FP&A shifts from answering "what happened" to "what to do next," stress-testing product launches, investments, and M&A through market, risk, and macroeconomic scenarios. As enterprise data becomes increasingly real-time, predictive, and actionable, FP&A helps CFOs and executive teams make faster trade-offs with a clearer view of value. This transformation relies on a data foundation that is both governed and accessible, including common definitions, controls, and security measures, while providing self-service access to avoid multiple "versions of the truth." FP&A is progressively building three strategic roles: integrated insight leader, organic growth driver, and strategic catalyst, thereby enhancing efficiency, optimizing capital allocation, and driving sustainable growth.
Checkr's New CFO: Betting Big on AI and Core Technology, Targeting a $40 Billion Verification Market
In an interview with CFO Dive, Checkr's new CFO Tim Yarbrough said that AI investment is a 'non-negotiable' area, and the company is targeting a $40 billion market opportunity, planning to expand from employment verification to tenant and mortgage verification. He emphasized the double-edged sword effect of AI and revealed plans to prioritize strengthening financial foundations, optimizing capital allocation, and advancing the development of continuous verification products.
Global payroll management has long been viewed as an operational burden, but AI-driven zero-touch infrastructure is changing this landscape. Through automated processing, continuous compliance updates, and financial accountability, enterprises can reduce costs by 30% and turn payroll management into a strategic advantage.