CFO’s AI Playbook
You have 2 choices
READ TIME: 5 MINUTES
AI is changing finance and you have 2 choices:
You can lead.
You can follow.
Stop chasing receipts and tracking budgets manually.
AI is redefining how finance operates.
We're talking about real-time insights, automated tasks, and strategic decision-making that were unimaginable just a few years ago.
But the reality? Most finance teams aren't ready.
Only a small fraction of CFOs feel their teams are truly prepared to leverage AI.
According to recent Deloitte research, fewer than 20% of CFOs say their teams have a clear AI strategy, even though 42% plan to invest significantly in AI this year.
Look at this chart:
AI is advancing faster than ever. Humans score around 73–77% on key benchmarks, but the latest "o3" models are already above 85%. But the real story isn’t the scores. It’s how fast AI is improving. For CFOs, this isn’t just a technical update.
The CFO must stop working like a chief accountant officer.
And start leading as chief value officer.
Every business wants a strategic CFO who can lead with AI.
3 CFOs Leading With AI
1. Dan Durn, CFO of Adobe: Forecasts in Minutes, Not Weeks
Dan Durn turned Adobe's finance team into an AI-powered powerhouse. By using AI for rolling forecasts, they cut a process that used to take 45 days down to just a few minutes.
How did they do it?
Hackathons: Durn’s team brainstormed 100 ideas, picked 20, and prioritized 5, including AI-driven forecasting.
Real-Time Insights: With up-to-date forecasts available anytime, decisions are made faster, and the business stays ahead of market changes.
Durn’s approach shows that AI isn’t just a tool.
It’s a way to turn finance into a strategic advantage.
2. Gina Mastantuono, CFO of ServiceNow: AI That Solves Problems Instantly
Gina Mastantuono is all about using AI to make life easier for her team and customers. One of her smartest moves?
Using generative AI to answer 3,000–5,000 sales-related questions about contracts and revenue recognition.
The results:
Faster Answers: AI gives sales teams instant, accurate responses so they can focus on customers.
Time Saved: The finance team spends less time on repetitive tasks and more on big-picture strategy.
Hackathons: Like Adobe, ServiceNow holds hackathons to find new ways AI can help solve business challenges.
Her secret weapon?
Focusing on collaboration between finance and sales to unlock real value.
3. Ambereen Toubassy, CFO of Airtable: Smarter AR with AI
Ambereen Toubassy is using AI to make Airtable’s Accounts Receivables (AR) process smarter and faster. By focusing on communication, forecasting, and risk management, she’s transforming how her team works.
Here’s what’s working:
GEN AI for Emails: AI drafts emails, follow-ups, and communication with sales teams, making communication quick and easy.
Cash Predictions: AI predicts cash collection times with precision, helping Airtable optimize cash flow management and planning.
Risk Alerts: AI spots potential payment risks early so the team can act fast.
Toubassy is showing that AI can not only save time but it can make AR more strategic.
For more insights from these 3 finance leaders, check out this video.
Big takeaway For Finance
AI Agents will make the lives of finance people easier.
Imagine having a team of tireless digital assistants who can handle routine tasks, analyze data, and even offer strategic insights. That's the promise of AI agents.
xAI Grok: Elon Musk’s xAI released Grok. This model is designed to answer almost anything and, far harder, even suggest what questions to ask. Now finance teams are asking Grok questions related to their data.
Why Finance Can't Ignore This
First, stop thinking AI is too complex or too expensive. For research, you can use a free trial of Gemini Advance or Perplexity. You can also create custom GPTs for summarizing financial reports. Start with areas like forecasting, reporting, or answering repetitive questions.
CFOs must see AI as a fundamental business transformation.
Invest in AI talent, build a data-driven culture, and play with new AI tools with strategic ROI in mind.
Where are you feeling the most friction? AP/AR? Headcount planning? FP&A Forecasting? Fraud detection?
Pilot a project with a specific team or process and measure the results.
The Bottom Line
CFOs will spend less time managing day-to-day operations and more time driving big decisions and influencing company direction.
Many CFOs will transition into CEO roles, as their understanding of both strategy and numbers makes them perfect for the job.
This is just the beginning.
And that's all for this week.
I’m Wouter Born. A CFOTech investor, advisor and entrepreneur.
Find me on LinkedIn
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