Technology
Ramp CEO Eric Glyman predicts in a blog post that by 2028, U.S. corporate finance teams will widely adopt autonomous AI agents, overseen by "AI agent managers," to handle tasks such as procurement and expense management. He emphasizes that this is not about replacing human workers but redeploying talent to higher-value work. Ramp recently completed a $500 million funding round, valuing it at $22.5 billion, and has already launched its first batch of AI agents. Gartner predicts that by 2028, 33% of enterprise software will include agentic AI.
Finzly has appointed Adam Carson as its first CFO, who plans to support the company's expansion by strengthening the connection between finance and business departments. Carson brings extensive experience in the software industry and previously drove Barracuda Networks' IPO.
Hari Sankar, Group Vice President at Oracle, stated that over the past year, finance executives have deepened their understanding of agentic AI's potential, creating a sense of "urgency." Two years ago, CFOs held a "trust but verify" attitude toward generative AI; now it has shifted to "must act immediately." Agentic AI deployment has moved from pilots to full production, with about one-third of organizations achieving full-scale deployment (KPMG survey). EY research shows that 35% of leaders expect AI spending to exceed $10 million in the coming year, and nearly three-quarters of executives believe entire business units will be managed by agentic AI. Sankar emphasized that CFOs need to establish checks and balances to ensure AI output reliability, while finance teams must balance accounting knowledge with technical skills.
A survey released Wednesday by financial software company Intuit found that 80% of accounting firms are still struggling to hire skilled talent, though this is down from 94% last year. Gaps are particularly prominent in entry-level (1+ years of experience) and senior (5+ years of experience) positions, cited by 42% and 38% of respondents, respectively. The industry is responding by adjusting CPA licensure rules and raising technical skill requirements.
Technology has become the backbone of business operations, but many companies invest heavily in large-scale software implementations without achieving their transformation goals. Using a manufacturing client with a budget exceeding $100 million as an example, this article proposes that the finance department should act as a proactive partner, ensuring that technology investments truly translate into operational improvements and strategic benefits through three major strategies: thorough preparation, future-oriented design, and driving change.
The Trump administration is expected to release a federal AI action plan at Wednesday's AI summit in Washington, focusing on deregulation, accelerating infrastructure construction, and addressing industry concerns about fragmented state-level regulations.
Edge AI, by pushing intelligent processing down to the data source, is bringing new possibilities for real-time fraud detection, personalized interactions, and operational optimization to the financial industry. Gartner predicts that by 2025, 75% of enterprise data will be generated and processed outside core data centers or the cloud. This article analyzes how edge AI empowers financial institutions to enhance customer experience, strengthen data security, and optimize internal processes, and introduces infrastructure solutions such as the Dell AI Factory that support this transformation.
John Gronen, CFO of Yooz, an accounts payable software company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is facing an ethical dilemma: whether to offer earned wage access (EWA) services as requested by employees. While he acknowledges that EWA can help employees avoid credit card debt, he fears that instant spending could leave them unable to pay rent at the end of the month. A recent company survey of about 1,000 employees found that only 32% prefer instant payment, while 58% still favor a fixed payday. Gronen currently leans against launching the service but is working with HR to assess implementation costs and employees' real needs. In a previous role, he opposed offering BNPL services to sports betting companies, arguing that gambling should be paid in cash. If ultimately implemented, he advocates that the company bear the cost rather than charging employees, to boost satisfaction and reduce turnover.
Research released by Protiviti on Tuesday shows that only 8% of enterprises are in the 'transformation' stage of AI-driven business transformation, while 32% remain in the experimentation phase. Data availability, regulatory conflicts, and strategic focus deviations are the main obstacles. The research also found a clear correlation between AI maturity and investment returns, with mature enterprises more likely to achieve significant value.
A Zuora survey found that 68% of finance leaders cannot optimize the order-to-cash process due to technology gaps. Company CFO Todd McElhatton points out that CFOs need to be deeply involved in technology decisions and lead this process, with 89% of finance leaders expected to take on strategic advisory roles, but 70% believe their current technology stack hinders this goal.