Finance is at one of the most consequential crossroads in its history. The pace of changes in markets, technology, and business models has never been this fast. The traditional playbook, built on spreadsheets, manual consolidation, and backwards-looking analysis, simply can’t keep up with today’s volatility.

The urgency is real. Organisations, big and small, that modernise now will gain a decisive competitive edge. Those that don’t will find themselves trapped in slow cycles, reactive decision-making, and outdated tools that can’t support the business.

And here’s the truth: AI will not fully replace Finance, but Finance professionals who master AI will absolutely replace those who don’t.

Understanding Why Finance Must Evolve, and Why FP&A Is at the Centre of It

FP&A has always been the analytical engine of the company, but expectations skyrocketed. Leaders want real-time insights, predictive capabilities, scenario modelling, and strategic guidance. Not static reports.

At the same time, AI is reshaping what is possible. From automated data preparation to predictive forecasting and prescriptive natural language insights, AI is redefining the value FP&A can deliver. But AI can only thrive in organisations that are ready for it. With clean data, modern processes, and teams equipped to use it.

This is why transformation is no longer optional. FP&A must evolve from a reporting function into a forward-looking, AI-enhanced strategic partner.

Using an FP&A Framework and Maturity Assessment to Guide the Journey

Transformation starts with clarity. You can’t modernise what you don’t understand.

A robust FP&A Framework, as I described in my article “Demystifying How FP&A Unlocks Value for Your Organisation”, provides a structured way to assess your current maturity across all relevant FP&A dimensions, with the possibility to down-drill into the required details of the pillars and enablers.

Such a maturity assessment helps companies:

• Identify the as-is state.

• Define the target state.

• Build a roadmap and action plan to close the gaps.

Figure 1

The maturity assessment, as shown in Figure 1, leverages the FP&A Trends Maturity Model, built on extensive research and industry best practices, and is one of the most robust tools available for this. It gives organisations a clear, evidence-based way to benchmark themselves and prioritise investments in people, processes and technology.

Becoming (Agentic) AI-Ready Is Critical

AI-readiness is not just about installing a tool. It’s about building conditions for AI to thrive. Thought leaders and think-tanks like the FP&A Trends Group emphasise the same core principles:

• A single source of data truth is non-negotiable. AI can’t compensate for fragmented, inconsistent, or low-quality data.

• Agentic AI: AI that can autonomously perform tasks will only succeed if processes are standardised and data flows are reliable.

• Governance and transparency must evolve to ensure AI-driven insights are trusted and explainable.

Becoming AI-ready means building a foundation that enables AI to automate repetitive tasks, augment human judgment, and elevate FP&A from reporting to steering the business, driving impact and creating value by orchestrating decisions.

I highly recommend reading the FP&A Trends Research Paper 2025: “How AI Is Transforming FP&A: A Practical Guide to Maturity, Transformation, and Its Evolving Role”. This paper is the result of work led by the AI FP&A Committee, with input from EY professionals. It also includes a specialised FP&A Trends AI Maturity Model to turn AI ambition into a structured, achievable transformation.

Selecting the Right Technology after Analysing the Process

Technology is a powerful enabler and accelerator, but only when applied to well-designed processes. Too many organisations rush into selecting tools without understanding what they truly need.

Before choosing an ERP, planning platform, AI solution, or reporting tool, companies must:

• Clarify the business requirements and drivers.

• Map and analyse their current processes.

• Identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies.

• Determine which repetitive tasks can be automated.

Only then it makes sense to evaluate technological options. With so many solutions on the market, this structured approach prevents costly misalignment and ensures the chosen solutions actually support decision-making and productivity.

Empowering People for the Future of FP&A

Process and technology alone will not transform FP&A. People will. The FP&A professional of the future is an AI-enhanced analyst. Someone who combines financial expertise with storytelling, influencing, curiosity, and continuous learning.

Teams must embrace new technologies, analytical methods and new ways of partnering with the business. It is a cultural shift as much as a technical shift, where vision and structure are required. FP&A must evolve into a team of strategic thinkers who can translate data into action and guide the organisation through uncertainty.

Choosing the Right Organisational Setup

There is no one-size-fits-all model to do this transformation.

Large organisations may benefit from a dedicated transformation team outside the finance governance cycle. A group focused on designing the FP&A framework, running maturity assessments, and driving change. Smaller companies may integrate this work directly into the FP&A team.

In both cases, external consultants can accelerate progress, bring leading practices, and ensure quality. They help organisations avoid common pitfalls and build a transformation roadmap grounded in real-world experience.

The Future Belongs to the ‘AI-Ready’

Modernising FP&A is not a project, it’s a reinvention. The organisations that thrive will be those that build AI-readiness across people, processes, and technology. Not as isolated initiatives, but as a unified strategy.

The message is simple: the future of Finance will be shaped by those who are preparing for it now. AI won’t replace FP&A. But FP&A teams who embrace AI, modernise their frameworks, and elevate their skills will define the next era of business steering and value creation!