Most finance executives expect artificial intelligence to make their workforce more productive rather than cut jobs, according to an informal CFO Dive poll of 26 respondents. Fifty-four percent said higher employee productivity would be AI's biggest workforce impact, while 19% said it would create new roles and just 15% said it would cut existing positions.
Andy Challenger, chief revenue officer at outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, told CFO Dive that companies have mostly used AI as a tool to aid workers, not replace them. Some organizations are using the technology to realign their workforces, with certain positions being replaced by AI tools, but the dominant pattern is different.
"We're hearing a lot about reskilling and retraining workers to use AI tools to become productive," said Challenger.
Early job-loss predictions haven't materialized
Early predictions about widespread AI-related job losses have not come to fruition, according to a July 2026 policy report from Stanford University. Many major tech leaders have changed their rhetoric about massive job losses, and companies have shifted their AI strategies after discovering the technology couldn't actually replace everything their human workers could do, Challenger said.
Ford rehired hundreds of veteran engineers and inspectors after admitting its AI-powered quality control systems did not live up to expectations, according to a BBC report. Block, a financial services company, rehired some employees shortly after laying off much of its workforce in February as part of its AI strategy, Business Insider reported.
Businesses in the U.S. actually need AI to help substitute for a workforce that is shrinking largely because Baby Boomers are entering retirement, CFO Dive previously reported. For finance teams, this dynamic creates pressure to adopt AI tools that maintain output as experienced staff depart. Finance leaders exploring how to apply these tools within their own operations can start with resources like AI for Finance content or a structured AI Learning Path for CFOs.
Workers remain concerned despite adoption trends
Many workers remain concerned about AI and the impact it will have on their jobs, said Challenger. That anxiety persists even as companies report that AI tools are augmenting rather than replacing human work.
"What we know is that this is a transformational technology, and workers will be served well if they actively investigate how they can use it in their work," he said.
Why this matters for finance professionals
The poll results suggest finance leaders who build AI skills now will be positioned to lead productivity efforts rather than react to them. The data also indicates that reskilling - not replacement - is the more likely outcome for most finance roles, which means professionals who can demonstrate practical AI application in financial analysis, reporting, and forecasting will have an advantage as companies realign their workforces.
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