CFOs expect smaller finance teams amid AI push, survey finds

A recent survey of finance chiefs found that most CFOs expect the headcount in their finance functions to either stay flat or decrease over the next three years — but the more crucial change coming for finance may be the skills needed as spending on artificial intelligence rises.

Though 30% of CFOs expect to reduce headcount over that time, 61% expect a decrease of less than 10% or for headcount to stay flat, the survey found. Most (64%) survey respondents said they expect their finance teams to shift away from more junior roles.

That’s creating the need for CFOs to have a broader skillset, the survey said. Seventy percent of respondents cited “shaping strategy and transformation” as one of their top priorities, while 72% expect the importance of that responsibility to grow over the next three years. See more findings.