CFOs are officially in the AI hot seat. According to a new global study from OneStream, the enterprise finance management platform that modernizes the Office of the CFO, finance chiefs are not only overseeing budgets—they’re now steering their companies’ AI strategies.
The report, which surveyed 350+ CFOs across the U.S., U.K., and Australia, paints a vivid picture of opportunity and anxiety in equal measure. Boards are bullish on AI’s potential, but finance leaders are struggling to convert that optimism into measurable returns.
“Boards and CEOs are looking to CFOs to lead the enterprise through the AI era,” said Tom Shea, CEO and President of OneStream. “Finance sits at the intersection of data and decision-making, positioning CFOs as the natural architects of AI-driven performance. The challenge now is how to break through the AI hype so CFOs can build a trusted, secure AI strategy that solves real pain points across the business.”
CFOs Take the Controls in the AI Era
One of the study’s most striking findings: CFOs are now more likely than CTOs, CIOs, or even Chief AI Officers to lead enterprise AI strategy.
- 75% of CFOs say they’re spearheading AI initiatives company-wide.
- Only 42% of CTOs/CIOs, 40% of Chief Data or AI Officers, and 27% of CEOs report the same.
That’s a sharp shift in corporate power. As OneStream’s data suggests, AI has evolved from a technology experiment to a financial mandate—and finance teams are increasingly the ones tasked with balancing innovation against risk.
Investment momentum supports the trend. 83% of CFOs expect overall AI spending to rise in 2026, with 80% forecasting higher budgets specifically within finance. Nearly one in five CFOs expect those budgets to surge by more than 50%.
But confidence isn’t always matched by capability. Two-thirds (67%) of CFOs believe their AI strategies are ahead of the curve, yet only 35% say they deeply understand AI—and just one in three have successfully scaled deployments across the enterprise.
Collaboration Across the C-Suite
While CFOs may be leading, they aren’t flying solo. Half (50%) report that their relationship with their CTO or CIO has become more strategic, while a third (33%) describe it as “more collaborative.” This alignment is key to moving AI from pilots to production.
The study predicts that 57% of CFOs will deepen collaboration with IT, operations, and data science teams over the next two years as AI adoption accelerates across finance workflows.
Boards Demand ROI—CFOs Seek Clarity
The boardroom is unified in its enthusiasm for AI: 54% strongly support AI investments, while another 40% remain cautiously optimistic. But enthusiasm comes with accountability.
Nearly every CFO (97%) says their board expects regular updates on AI ROI, cost savings, and productivity gains. Yet many finance leaders are unsure how to quantify the impact.
- 93% of CFOs say their organization understands AI ROI—but only about half are personally convinced.
- 56% already report productivity boosts from AI.
- 32% cite ongoing uncertainty about ROI, and 53% expect cost optimization to remain a top priority.
That tension between optimism and skepticism mirrors the wider enterprise AI landscape, where executives must balance investor expectations with the still-evolving realities of AI deployment.
From Forecasting to Foresight
CFOs aren’t short on ideas for where to apply AI next. Current usage is concentrated in financial close (66%), forecasting and planning (62%), compliance (54%), and reporting (45%).
Most plan to build from these foundations over the next 12–24 months, prioritizing forecasting, risk management, and compliance—core finance functions where AI can deliver measurable efficiency gains.
Longer-term ambitions, however, are more forward-looking. 61% of CFOs plan to expand AI into scenario modeling and advanced financial forecasting, creating data-driven decision engines that could reshape enterprise agility.
Still, barriers remain. CFOs cite AI talent shortages, inconsistent data quality, and integration challenges as the biggest obstacles to scaling AI across the business. These challenges highlight the gap between the promise of “AI transformation” and the painstaking operational work needed to realize it.
Analysis: The CFO Becomes Chief AI Officer
OneStream’s findings signal a broader power shift inside the enterprise. The CFO—traditionally the gatekeeper of budgets—is now emerging as the architect of AI-enabled performance.
This reflects a growing trend: as AI moves from experimentation to execution, finance leaders are uniquely positioned to enforce governance, ROI discipline, and ethical data use—capabilities often overlooked in early AI adoption phases.
But the data also underscores a looming challenge: readiness. Many CFOs are leading AI conversations without deep technical grounding. Bridging that knowledge gap will be essential as organizations look to scale AI responsibly, especially in regulated industries where accuracy and explainability matter as much as speed.
The modern CFO’s role is evolving—from counting dollars to training algorithms, from quarterly forecasting to continuous optimization. And as boards push for tangible AI outcomes, finance leaders who can turn ambition into measurable impact will define the next generation of enterprise leadership.
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