TLDR: Drivetrain, an AI-native business planning platform, has released its ‘State of AI in FP&A’ report, revealing that artificial intelligence is ushering in a new era of finance talent. The report, based on insights from 258 finance professionals, indicates that 79% of FP&A teams are already utilizing AI tools, leading to a growing demand for roles such as AI Analysts and AI Systems Experts. While optimism about AI is high (90% of professionals), the report also points out challenges in translating experimentation into significant transformation and highlights the need for robust governance and specialized skills.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is profoundly transforming various industries, and the traditionally conservative field of corporate finance is no exception. Drivetrain, an AI-native business planning platform, has unveiled its ‘State of AI in FP&A’ report, offering a data-driven examination of how financial planning and analysis (FP&A) teams are integrating AI. The report, which surveyed 258 finance professionals, paints a picture of a sector enthusiastic about AI’s potential but still navigating the complexities of implementing meaningful change.
A key finding from the report is that a significant 79% of FP&A teams are already employing AI tools. However, many of these applications are currently focused on ‘quick wins,’ such as automating Excel tasks and formatting reports, rather than driving deeper, more transformative changes.
The report also highlights a notable shift in hiring priorities within finance departments. There is an increasing demand for specialized roles like AI Analysts and AI Systems Experts, signaling a future where technical proficiency will be as crucial as traditional accounting knowledge. Alok Goel, CEO and Co-founder of Drivetrain, commented on this evolution, stating, ‘For the first time in decades, the most critical new finance hires won’t have finance backgrounds—they’ll have technical skills that barely existed when today’s CFOs started their careers.’ This trend mirrors the integration of data scientists in other sectors, indicating that finance is developing its own cadre of AI specialists.
Despite widespread optimism, with 90% of finance professionals expressing confidence in AI, the Drivetrain report also identifies significant challenges. These include gaps in governance and the necessary skills to fully leverage AI’s capabilities. The report serves as both a benchmark for current AI adoption and a call to action for finance leaders, emphasizing that while AI will not replace finance teams, it will fundamentally redefine the skills, structures, and tools required for success.
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Drivetrain’s blog, ‘5 Generative AI Use Cases in Finance to Adopt Now,’ further elaborates on practical applications that can move finance teams beyond mere experimentation. These include narrative automation to convert financial data into board-ready commentary, forecast enhancement through AI-enriched predictive models, and data reconciliation to reduce errors across fragmented systems.
