AI Agents Transforming Finance: Adoption, Benefits, and Workforce Trends

AI Agents in Finance: A Growing Trend

Artificial intelligence (AI) has moved beyond pilot phases and is now a key focus for finance teams. Many organizations are implementing AI at scale, leveraging new tools to improve efficiency and decision-making.

Key Takeaways

• Automated finance workflows are already widespread, with over 90% of finance executives recognizing the benefits of AI tools.
• Financial planning and analysis (FP&A) is expected to be the most influenced function by AI in the next few years.
• Nearly 63% of finance employees dedicate more than two hours weekly to developing AI skills.
• AI agents are among the hottest tools in finance, with 95.3% of organizations exploring how to implement them.
• Only 15.7% of finance departments expect significant layoffs due to AI adoption.
• Data security and privacy remain top concerns as AI implementation grows, especially with evolving regulations.

Benefits of AI in Finance

• Over 39% of organizations report faster processing times as a primary benefit of AI.
• Approximately 34% have reduced manual tasks through AI automation, boosting efficiency.
• AI-powered approvals have streamlined workflows for more than 33% of teams.
• Nearly 32% have improved compliance while increasing accuracy and reducing errors.
• More than 26% say AI has enhanced decision-making capabilities.
• Almost 25% have accelerated the book-closing process.
• About 23% have gained greater spend visibility thanks to AI tools.

Use Cases of AI in Finance

Finance teams report strong impacts from AI across several functions:

• Invoice processing and accounts payable (31.9%)
• Risk assessment and management (31.4%)
• Expense reporting processing (30.5%)
• Compliance monitoring and reporting (29.5%)
• Early-stage purchasing (28.1%)
• Audit trail analysis (22.9%)

Workforce Impact

Despite more AI applications, over half of fintech companies have increased hiring. This suggests a balanced approach to workforce changes alongside AI adoption.

• 51.4% are developing internal policies and procedures to manage AI integration.
• Nearly 40% are actively engaging with regulatory bodies on AI-related concerns.
• Just over 6% are taking a cautious, wait-and-see approach.
• More than 37% of finance leaders emphasize the importance of seamless integration with existing systems when selecting AI software.

For finance professionals looking to sharpen AI skills and stay ahead, exploring specialized training can be valuable. Platforms like Complete AI Training offer courses designed to build practical AI expertise in finance.