Finance Executives Embrace AI Yet Lack Governance
Finance leaders are poised to boost AI investment, yet many admit they are not yet equipped to manage the technology at scale.
Rising Commitment Meets Cautious Outlook
According to a recent Forrester Consulting Opportunity Snapshot commissioned by Basware, 76% of enterprise finance and accounts‑payable (AP) decision‑makers intend to increase AI investment within the next 12 to 24 months. The same study found that 68% of respondents will demand clear return‑on‑investment (ROI) evidence before committing additional funds.
While 67% of finance teams already employ AI for specific AP tasks, only 39% have established AI centers of excellence capable of operating at scale. This gap points to an execution problem rather than a lack of ambition.
Governance Takes Precedence Over Innovation
Stability and compliance now outweigh raw innovation for 64% of finance leaders when selecting AI solutions. Less than half—46%—believe they have achieved an effective balance between governance and innovation, according to the analysis.
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In the AP arena, expectations about payback periods are modest. Only 7% of leaders anticipate AI delivering returns in under six months, while 20% see value emerging within six to twelve months, and 35% expect benefits to materialize over thirteen to twenty‑four months.
Regulatory pressure adds urgency. Sixty‑five percent of respondents say major or urgent improvements are needed to comply with new financial regulations, including Nacha’s 2026 fraud‑monitoring rules now active in the United States. Meanwhile, 63% cite growing demand for data‑driven decision‑making as a driver for AI adoption.
“Finance is a strong place to start with AI because the value can be measured,” said Donna Wilczek, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Basware. “The challenge is getting from ambition to execution in a way the business can trust. Once outcomes are proven, the remit can grow.”
Wilczek also noted that “governed AI is no longer aspirational, it’s a board‑level requirement.” She emphasized that every AI decision in AP must be logged, traceable, and auditable from the moment it occurs, not reconstructed later.
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Basware’s Governed Autonomy framework offers a structured approach. It defines three levels of AI authority—Advisor, Collaborator, and Operator—allowing autonomy to expand only as each tier demonstrates reliable outcomes. Human review remains integral wherever judgment is essential.
While the framework outlines a clear path, the practical challenge lies in aligning technology with existing processes. Finance teams must map AI capabilities onto legacy systems, ensuring that any automated decision can be audited without disrupting the broader workflow.
Companies that succeed will likely be those that embed strong governance structures early, rather than those that simply deploy the most sophisticated models.
Firms will adopt a phased approach, piloting AI in low‑risk scenarios before scaling to higher‑impact functions.
