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According to surveys released Wednesday by the Federal Reserve Banks of Richmond and Atlanta, CFO concerns about uncertainty increased more in the first quarter than any other worry, even as economic optimism improved slightly from the previous quarter. The surveys show tariffs and trade policy remain the top concern, followed by labor quality/availability and demand/sales/revenue. Uncertainty was the only major concern with a higher mention rate than in the fourth quarter of 2025.

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar said in a CNBC interview that the company is close to completing a $120 billion funding round, $10 billion more than the $110 billion announced in February. The round has attracted new investors such as T. Rowe Price and D.E. Shaw Ventures. Meanwhile, reports about the company preparing for an IPO continue to heat up.

A securities filing by Robinhood on Tuesday showed that CFO Shiv Verma received an $18 million restricted stock promotion award, with his annual salary raised to $600,000 and his target bonus percentage increased to 75%. The company also announced a $1.5 billion share buyback program to address pressure from a 36% decline in its stock price this year.

S&P Global's US Composite PMI fell to 51.4 in March, an 11-month low. The Iran war has driven oil prices up, disrupted supply chains, raised corporate costs, and accelerated price hikes, with service sector growth at its weakest in nearly a year. Economists warn of stagflation risks, with Q1 GDP growth possibly only 1.3%.

The latest working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) shows that surveyed CFOs expect AI to have a limited impact on overall headcount this year, but routine clerical positions will decrease by 2% and the share of technical roles will rise over the next three years. The survey also found that the primary motivation for corporate investment in AI is not cost reduction, but rather improving productivity.

When an enterprise incurs losses, CFOs are often blamed, but they actually bear the fundamental responsibility of guiding the enterprise toward profitability. This article, written by Diya Sagar, CFO of AWA Studios, shares her experience in turning around losses: first, it is necessary to distinguish between temporary losses and fundamental failures, then focus on controllable levers, such as optimizing unit economics, rather than blindly cutting costs. The article emphasizes that when approaching profitability, risk tolerance should be increased, investment should be made in growth opportunities, and it should be recognized that turnaround takes time, ultimately validating the CFO's capability through financial performance.

A report released Tuesday by finance software provider Datarails found that nearly one-third of corporate finance job postings explicitly mention artificial intelligence or machine learning skills, up from one-quarter a year ago. The study analyzed 5,000 finance job postings published between January 2025 and January 2026, covering roles such as CFO, FP&A, finance director, and accountant.

Mastercard announced it will launch a "virtual CFO" tool within the year as the first capability in its "virtual executive team" series, targeting small businesses without a dedicated CFO. The tool aims to provide core functions such as cash flow forecasting and payment insights through AI agents, and will be embedded in partner ecosystems including financial institutions and accounting platforms. Mark Barnett, Mastercard's global head of small and medium enterprises, emphasized that the tool enhances rather than replaces human leadership, and plans to ensure insight accuracy through phased deployment and a combination of user data and network intelligence.

A latest report from the Dallas Fed indicates that if oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz remain interrupted in the second quarter, US annualized economic growth would slow by 2.9 percentage points. Nearly 20% of global oil supply passes through the strait, and the potential impact could far exceed that of any oil crisis since 1973. Fed officials warn that surging oil prices could simultaneously push up inflation and unemployment, leaving the central bank in a dilemma.

Tabs CEO Ali Hussain states that CFOs' attitude toward AI has shifted from early trials to strategic application, with an emphasis on addressing practical pain points under scaling, talent shortages, and cost-reduction pressures. He predicts that 2026 will be a critical turning point for AI in finance, with technology applications focusing more on user trust and value creation.