AI isn’t the future for finance teams. It’s already here and helping reduce repetitive admin, speeding up reporting and reshaping how decisions get made.
But here’s the reality: access to AI isn’t the same as getting value from it.
According to Boston Consultancy Group’s AI at Work 2025 report, 72% of professionals are now regular AI users. Yet frontline adoption has stalled, and many teams are still scratching the surface. AI has become another tool in the drawer that’s underused and misunderstood.
The real risk isn’t hypothetical anymore
Talk of AI replacing jobs used to sound like hype. But that’s changing fast, especially at the entry level.
Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei recently shared that around half of all entry-level white-collar tasks have already been automated by AI. And a recent Independent report shows those changes are already playing out in real organisations with office, admin and basic finance roles being replaced in sectors across the board.
That doesn’t mean finance is being gutted. But it is a signpost.
The risk now isn’t whether AI will replace people. It’s that finance teams who don’t know how to use AI will be overtaken by those who do… Leaner teams, making faster decisions and delivering more value.
Finance is ahead, but the capability gap is real
Finance is further ahead than most. BCG’s data shows that 54% of financial services organisations are actively redesigning workflows using AI.
We’re seeing that firsthand. At Core3, we work with CFOs from across the country who are building smarter teams. They’re aiming to move away from reactive reporting and into more strategic roles. But the results aren’t consistent. Because while the tools are there, the people using them often aren’t equipped.
And AI isn’t plug-and-play.
BCG’s data shows:
- 89% of teams redesigning workflows with AI think their company will make better decisions
- 47% save more than an hour a day
- They’re significantly more likely to shift time from admin to strategy
Why most teams are only scratching the surface
Most finance teams have access to AI tools. But they’re not seeing the upside and that’s because the right support structure isn’t in place.
According to the data:
- Only 36% of employees say they’re satisfied with the AI training they’ve had
- Just 25% of frontline workers feel supported by leadership in using it
- And 37% don’t have the right tools at all
When those gaps exist, people do what they have to. Over half (54%) say they’d use unauthorised AI tools if the company offering doesn’t meet their needs. That’s not innovation that’s a compliance and data security risk.
In finance, the impact is obvious: inconsistent outputs, risk exposure and wasted investment in platforms no one’s trained to use properly.
The talent profile is changing, and finance leaders need to catch up
At Core3, we’ve interviewed hundreds of finance professionals this year alone. The ones thriving in today’s market aren’t necessarily from data or tech-first backgrounds. But they share a mindset, and that’s what makes the difference.
They’re:
- Digitally fluent – comfortable with AI tools, reporting software and automation
- Curious and adaptive – keen to experiment and streamline how they work
- Commercially switched-on – focused on how AI can drive decisions, not just dashboards
- Confident with ambiguity – ready to challenge AI outputs and ask better questions
We’ve seen candidates using Copilot to take detailed meeting notes, speed up forecasting cycles in Excel or test multiple scenarios in Power BI. These are the professionals turning AI into insight. And increasingly, they’re the ones CFOs want on their team.
What finance leaders need to do now
If you’re serious about using AI to improve performance, reduce cost or increase decision-making speed, it’s time to rethink how you hire, structure and support your team.
Here are four practical steps:
1. Design roles with AI in mind
Look at which tasks can be supported by AI and where human input still matters. Build roles that combine technical skills with interpretation, communication and strategy.
2. Hire for mindset, not just CV
Excel experience is standard. What sets candidates apart now is digital curiosity. Look for people who are already using AI, or who’ve taught themselves tools like Power BI, Anaplan or ChatGPT to improve their workflow.
3. Back it with training
BCG found that employees with more than 5 hours of training were 22% more likely to be regular AI users. Add in coaching and in-person learning, and the results improve even more. If you want AI to be part of your culture, invest in helping people use it properly.
4. Keep the thinking in-house
AI can summarise, calculate and report. But it can’t replace context or judgement. Hire people who know how to translate outputs into action and who aren’t afraid to challenge the data when something doesn’t stack up.
What we’re seeing at Core3
We work across a wide range of sectors, helping SMEs and established businesses reshape their finance functions. This gives us a daily view of where the market’s heading.
Everything from helping CFOs restructure their FP&A function around AI-powered forecasting and insight to placing a systems accountant who had built an automated reporting process using Power Query and Copilot
We also hear common themes in interviews, with candidates saying that AI is not a threat, but a tool. The best talent is already using it, whether their employer is or not.
From gamble to strategy
AI isn’t a fruit machine lever; you don’t just pull it and hope for the best.
In finance, pulling the AI lever without strategy is gambling with your numbers. You might get lucky once, but it’s not repeatable, scalable or safe. The real value comes when someone knows what the levers do – which process to automate, which report to streamline and when to let human judgement override machine logic.
If you’re ready to build a finance team that’s fit for the future, we’re here to help.
