CFOs Turn to AI to Better Synchronize Finance and Enterprise Priorities, Report AI ROI Challenges: Protiviti Global Finance Trends Survey

While AI adoption for financial forecasting rose from 58% to 76% year over year, only 35% of finance organizations say they are effective at measuring AI ROICFOs and finance organizations are using artificial intelligence to strengthen financial forecasting, scenario planning and process automation as economic, monetary and trade policy uncertainty reshapes the finance agenda, according to the results of Protiviti's 2026 Global Finance Trends Survey. At the same time, security and privacy of data ranks, again, as finance leaders' top priority to address over the next year, underscoring the importance of trusted data governance as AI becomes more embedded in finance operations. In its report, Synchronize, Protiviti notes that among the 77% of finance organizations now employing AI, financial forecasting has emerged as the leading AI use case.Still, many finance organizations have yet to satisfactorily connect AI investments to measurable business outcomes. Current use cases remain concentrated in core finance activities such as financial forecasting, risk assessment and management, and process automation. This highlights a longer-term need for more governed, measurable and scalable AI-enabled finance transformation.Key findings from Protiviti's 2026 Global Finance Trends Survey Finding Why it matters for CFOs and finance leaders 77% of finance organizations now employ AI. AI is becoming embedded in finance workflows, but adoption alone does not guarantee measurable value. AI financial forecasting adoption rose from 58% to 76% year over year. Finance teams are using AI to analyze larger data sets, perform more scenario planning and deliver faster insights to leadership. Only 35% say they are highly or moderately effective at measuring AI ROI. Finance leaders need clearer objectives, stronger governance and more consistent value measurement to justify AI investment. Just 14% of finance groups are employing AI pursuant to a defined strategy. Finance organizations are not yet employing the technology in a fully mature, measurable or scaled way. Security and privacy of data ranks as the top finance priority for the third consecutive year. A key reason data security and privacy stands out: its relevance across the use of AI and automation tools that leverage data inside and outside the organization. Trusted data governance and cybersecurity are foundational to scaling AI across forecasting, planning and analytics. 83% of CFOs rank cash management among their top three areas requiring the most attention as a result of economic and trade policy volatility. Liquidity discipline is becoming a core measure of resilience amid these global market developments. "Finance leaders have moved beyond asking whether to adopt AI. Today's challenge is to use AI to make more informed business decisions and prove that it is delivering measurable value," said Christopher Wright, global leader of Protiviti's CFO Solutions and Business Performance Improvement practice. "Organizations that pair strong data governance with clear business objectives are better positioned to navigate economic uncertainty, shifting market conditions and rising expectations for finance transformation."Survey identifies additional AI usesOther leading AI use cases in finance include: Risk assessment and management (67%): Using advanced analytics to identify, measure and mitigate financial risks more proactively. Process automation (56%): Streamlining repetitive tasks to improve efficiency and reduce errors.The survey also identifies AI-enabled scenario planning as an underdeveloped opportunity to connect forecasting, risk assessment and cash management.Data governance and cybersecurity determine whether enterprise AI can scaleAs AI becomes more embedded across forecasting, planning and analytics, finance organizations increasingly rely on larger volumes of internal and third-party data. For the third consecutive year, security and privacy of data ranked as finance leaders' top priority, ahead of financial planning, analytics and AI. The results reflect the importance organizations continue to place on protecting the data that supports AI-enabled finance transformation."AI is fundamentally changing how organizations use data," Wright said. "Organizations cannot scale AI without confidence in the quality, security and governance of their data. That is the major reason why cybersecurity and data governance remain finance's top priorities."Cash management represents a measure of resilienceEconomic uncertainty is also reshaping finance priorities. The survey found that 83% of CFOs rank cash management among their top three priorities as organizations respond to ongoing changes in economic, monetary and trade policy. In the current operating environment, CFOs and finance leaders are focused on strengthening cash flow forecasting, working capital dashboards and liquidity reporting, enabling leaders throughout the enterprise to see cash positions, funding needs and pressure points in real time rather than at month-end.Industries placing the greatest emphasis on cash management include:Financial services (61%) Manufacturing and distribution (55%) Healthcare (45%) Consumer product companies (41%)Survey resources availableKey findings from the Protiviti 2026 Global Finance Trends Survey are available for exploration on Protiviti's website. The site also offers a complimentary download of the full survey report in PDF format, including recommended action items for CFOs, an infographic, and video featuring Protiviti experts' commentary. A series of three webinars will delve into the survey's findings regarding Data Analytics & FP&A; AI In Finance; and Finance in an Era of Cyber Risk & Disruption. Details and registration information are available.

CFOs Turn to AI to Better Synchronize Finance and Enterprise Priorities, Report AI ROI Challenges: Protiviti Global Finance Trends Survey

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