I was recently invited to join FP&A-Trends’ Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) Committee by Larysa Melnychuk, managing director. This blog is based on a case study presented at the June 2018 meeting.
This is the first part of a three-part series on the business value that data science and analytics can provide to enterprises.
These are exciting times for finance. The promise of technology for a sneak peek into the future gives finance a crystal ball on where to steer resources today for an optimal utilization tomorrow. Can the Arabic proverb “he who knows the future lies even if he is proven correct” be overcome?
In this article, the author explores top 3 impacts of AI & ML on FP&A people, processes and value.
Artificial Intelligence is going to be a highly impactful technology in the coming years. Yet, like most forms of automation, the major benefits are going to be efficiency related. The strategy is a function best suited for the human mind. Of course, technology can play a role, but the only way technology can replace human thinking is if we as humans choose to step aside… and I, for one, am betting on the humans.
Future coordination is a brainer - not a no-brainer. Combining the Now and the Future requires a well-prepared FP&A team. AI as Robotic Process Automation (RPA) can support with the “no-brainers”. Looking ahead requires diligence and thinking time, which RPA can provide space for. Also, computer algorithms prescribe to keep exploring for future gains. This includes looking to the Arts and the Artificial Intelligence developments.