AI Impact vs. Hype in Finance 2026
What finance leaders need to know to turn AI into real results? This report, created by Zone & Co in collaboration with partners including Staria, is based on insights from 565 finance professionals globally. It reveals where AI delivers real value, where it falls short, and what sets successful finance teams apart.
Why read this report?
Finance leaders are under pressure to do more with less, while ensuring accuracy, compliance and control.
AI promises efficiency, automation and better decision-making, but the reality is more nuanced.
This report helps you answer the key questions:
Where does AI truly deliver value in finance today?
Why do some teams see strong ROI while others struggle?
What role does ERP integration play in success?
How should finance leaders approach AI investments practically?
Key insights at a glance
AI is already outperforming expectations: Finance teams have moved on from experimenting AI to using it in live workflows. 57% of the teams say AI performs better than expected.
Confidence increases with ERP integration: The closer AI is to finance systems and data, the more reliable and trusted it becomes. 87% of broad adopters report high confidence in ERP-native AI.
Impact vs. hype: Strongest results are seen in reporting & analysis, forecasting & planning and approvals & workflows, meanwhile help AI bots, AI report generation and cash reconciliation are seen as overhyped use cases.
AI success requires investment and ownership: The report shows 9% positive ROI when no one owns AI initiatives vs. 46% when CFO / Finance Leadership owns it.
Read the whole report to get the full insights, benchmarks and practical recommendations for finance leaders.