Moving beyond the AI hype: building future-ready finance
Technology continues to change how we work, and AI is the latest disruptor. But technology won’t do much to solve organizations’ productivity puzzle. Drawing on insights from CIMA’s Future-Ready Finance Survey Report, Irena Teneva, Associate Technical Director – Research and Development, explores how finance leaders can cut through the hype and drive measurable, sustainable productivity gains.
As we move into 2026, the promise and pressure of artificial intelligence (AI) have never been greater. But history offers a cautionary tale: the earlier digital wave raised high hopes but left many organizations grappling with frictions for decades – a disconnect between technological investment and tangible business outcomes eloquently described as the “productivity puzzle”.
The question we must now ask ourselves is whether we have learned from the past. This year, the real test will be bridging this gap – not just by investing in new technologies, but by working smarter and investing in the skills and strategies that turn potential into performance.
Productivity has become a buzzword for a good reason. Across many organizations, underinvestment in both technology and skills has created bottlenecks, with companies wasting many hours each year due to inefficient systems and workflows. The opportunity is clear: when harnessed effectively, technology can drive innovation. This makes the productivity challenge actionable, and finance teams have a critical role in making it happen.
CIMA’s Future-Ready Finance: Technology, Productivity and Skills Survey Report shows that 59% of finance leaders have targeted better productivity by prioritizing new systems and software implementation and 48% point to task automation. The findings go further: 88% of the respondents expect AI to transform the profession within one to two years, and 59% rank data analytics as the next most impactful technology, which is closely followed by cybersecurity at 54%.
Together, these trends illustrate how finance leaders see their role in shaping more productive businesses. But the question remains: have we learned from the missteps of previous digital waves?
As organizations invest in automation and AI, enthusiasm can easily turn into overconfidence. The belief that technology alone can solve complex business challenges is misleading. Tools without a clear strategy – or without understanding of the problem they aim to solve – rarely deliver real impact. Implementing new systems or automating tasks may look like progress, but without redesigning workflows, developing skills, and linking innovation to measurable outcomes, these efforts risk becoming costly distractions. In other words, technology is powerful, but success depends on pairing digital tools with human capabilities and strategic thinking.
The Future-Ready Finance Survey Report reinforces this point: barriers to technology adoption are not just technical, they are also human and organizational. Half of respondents (50%) cite lack of skills and talent as the biggest obstacle, while 39% point to the need for radical business change. These findings underline a critical point: advanced technologies cannot deliver productivity gains unless organizations invest in people and new ways of working.
If we take a closer look at the data, it reveals an even more complex challenge. Beyond technology adoption, productivity improvements are held back by skills gaps (41%), low staff motivation (37%), poor coordination (32%), ineffective leadership (29%), unhealthy workplace culture (28%), weak change management (26%), and inadequate communication (25%). This shows that main productivity barriers are deeply rooted in human dynamics and organizational practices, rather than technology.
Driving real progress means creating conditions where people can adapt, collaborate, and lead change effectively. But do we have what it takes?
Amid the AI hype, the report reveals that 46% of finance leaders identify generative AI as the most significant skills gap in their teams, followed closely by broader technology skills including, big data, cloud, IoT, robotics (37%) and data analytics (36%). Interestingly, we can also see that skills gaps in communication, influencing, and critical thinking (33%), as well as business partnering (32%) still exist, highlighting the ongoing need for strong analytical and interpersonal capabilities alongside core technical expertise.
To bridge these gaps, firms are prioritizing internal upskilling and on-the-job training, recognizing that recruiting highly skilled talent is not a long-term solution to solve the profession’s talent shortage. The emphasis on experiential learning reflects recognition that practical, context-driven professional development is essential for building organizational capabilities.
In short, real progress will depend on creating an environment where continuous learning, collaboration, and adaptability are part of everyday practice.
The message is clear: technology adoption alone does not guarantee productivity gains. The organizations best positioned for the future are those that invest in both digital tools and the continuous development of their people. For finance leaders, the mandate is unmistakable: build teams that can interpret data, master new tools, and collaborate strategically with colleagues across the business. Only then will technology investments translate into productivity gains and a true competitive edge.