At an RGP-hosted roundtable in Chicago, senior finance leaders gathered to discuss how artificial intelligence, globalization, and evolving workforce expectations are reshaping the modern finance function.
The discussion highlighted a profession in transition, as CFOs and finance teams move beyond traditional reporting roles toward more strategic, technology-enabled leadership. While AI is generating significant interest across industries, most organizations remain in the early stages of implementation, focusing on targeted applications that deliver practical efficiency gains.
Participants emphasized that the true barrier to scaling AI is rarely the technology itself, but the underlying data environment. Fragmented systems, inconsistent data governance, and limited trust in enterprise data continue to slow progress. As a result, many finance leaders are taking a pragmatic approach—deploying AI in contained use cases such as document analysis, workflow automation, and reporting support, while strengthening the data infrastructure needed for broader adoption.
As one finance executive noted during the discussion, “The technology isn’t the hard part—getting the data right is.”
Looking ahead, executives agreed that the finance organization of the future will depend on stronger analytical capabilities, improved data stewardship, and deeper collaboration with technology teams. Rather than replacing finance professionals, AI is expected to elevate the function—freeing teams from routine tasks and enabling them to focus on strategic decision-making and enterprise value creation.