Finance experts have been experimenting with AI for a few years now, testing how the technology can help with forecasting and surfacing insights that aid strategic decision making.
Some are seeing promising results, while others still have a way to go in identifying where and how AI can drive the greatest operational value for their business.
One thing is clear though: insight alone isn’t always enough.
To achieve tangible, quantifiable returns, and solve the problems that will make the biggest difference, organizations need AI that will help to do the do…not just explain it. They need tools that move beyond insight and analysis and begin to execute tasks. This is where agentic AI comes in.
Our newly published report, From AI to ROI: Unlock Value with AI Agents, produced in partnership with Financial Times Longitude, highlights how organizations moving beyond experimentation are starting to see results.
Among the key findings:
The findings suggest that while many finance teams remain in exploratory stages, with plenty of opportunity for growth, those already applying AI agents in targeted processes are realising significant operational and financial benefits.
Traditional AI tools are great at digging into financial data. They spot trends, make forecasts, and offer up smart advice to help businesses make important decisions that fit their goals. But that’s usually where things stop. After that, teams must dig into the recommendations themselves and start manually tackling the tasks.
So how is agentic AI different? Agentic AI tools bridge the gap between insight and execution. They enable systems to execute tasks autonomously within clearly defined rules and governance frameworks. As Kevin Kamau, Director of Product Management for Data and AI at Basware, explains in the report: “AI agents go a step further by executing work within defined boundaries. That shift from informing decisions to carrying them out is what turns AI into an operational asset and explains why agentic deployments deliver higher ROI.”
In practical terms, this means AI agents can handle structured, repeatable work, helping finance teams manage complex workflows more efficiently while maintaining control and oversight.
Looking for a smart place to kick off your organization’s AI journey? Accounts Payable, (AP) is where many start. According to the latest report, about three out of four finance leaders say AP is the most suitable place for AI adoption. AP is full of structured data, repetitive steps, and strict rules to follow. And that makes it the perfect place for AI to step in and make a real difference, boosting efficiency you can actually measure.
Organizations deploying AI agents in AP report benefits such as:
As Kamau notes:
“AP combines structured rules, repeatable steps, and measurable outcomes. It’s one of the few finance processes where AI can be applied safely and responsibly at scale.”
For finance teams still early in their AI journey, AP offers a manageable and relatively low-risk opportunity to test how AI agents can support day-to-day operations.
AI is generating intense interest across industries, so naturally, organizations want to explore its full potential. But according to our report, finance teams achieving standout results tend to concentrate their efforts in three main areas.
AI is really shaking things up in finance, but different companies are moving forward at their own pace. The magic happens when AI goes beyond just giving you insights, it actually helps you take action right inside your business processes. Agentic AI is what connects the dots between knowing what to do and actually doing it.
If you're curious about real-world examples and use cases, check out the full report: AI to ROI: Unlock Value with AI Agents