A CFO's Guide to Making Generative A.I. Work

Let's be honest: As a CFO, you're probably getting bombarded with pitches about AI. Everyone's telling you it's the next big thing, but what they're not telling you is how to actually make it work in your organisation without burning through your budget or disrupting existing operations.

Here's your practical guide to getting AI right – no hype, just real talk.

Contents

• Get Your Data House in Order (Or Nothing Else Matters)
• Start Small, Think Big (But Actually Start Small)
• Forget Everything You Know About ROI (Almost)
• Infrastructure Isn't Sexy, But It's Everything
• Playing the Long Game
• Making Your Team AI-Ready (Without Causing a Panic)
• The Ethics Thing (Because Yes, It Matters)
• Your 90-Day Action Plan
• The Last Word

First Things First: You Can't Do This Alone

Here's something they don't teach you in finance school: implementing AI is a team sport. You might be leading the charge, but you're going to need allies:

• Your CIO isn't just the "tech person" – they're your new best friend
• That data team you barely talk to? Time to get them on speed dial
• HR needs to be in the loop (because yes, people will freak out about AI)

Pro Tip: Set up a monthly "AI alignment" meeting with your tech and data leaders. Keep it small, focused, and action-oriented. You'll thank me later.

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Get Your Data House in Order (Or Nothing Else Matters)

Want to know the fastest way to waste money on AI? Feed it bad data. Here's what you need to do:

The Non-Negotiables:

• Know where your financial data lives (all of it)
• Have clear rules about who can access what
• Make sure your data is clean and consistent
• Keep it secure (because regulators are watching)

Pro Tip: If your team is still reconciling data in Excel, fix that before you even think about AI.

Read more: Can't Make Sense of Your Business Data? Here Are 5 Ways A.I. Can Help

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Start Small, Think Big (But Actually Start Small)

Everyone wants to go big with AI. Don't. Instead:

1. Pick One Thing That's Driving Your Team Crazy

• Maybe it's processing invoices
• Or reconciling accounts
• Or forecasting cash flow

2. Make That One Thing Better with AI

• Start with a pilot program
• Measure everything
• Get your team's buy-in

Then talk about expanding.

Read more: Generative AI in Business: Real-World Lessons for Decision Makers

Pro Tip: Your first AI project should be boring. Boring is good. Boring means it's probably something that actually needs fixing.

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Forget Everything You Know About ROI (Almost)

Traditional ROI metrics don't work well with AI. Here's why:

• Some benefits aren't immediately obvious
• The real value often comes from unexpected places
• You're building capabilities, not just solving problems

Instead of demanding immediate returns, ask:

• What processes are we improving?
• What new insights are we gaining?
• How is this making us more competitive?

Pro Tip: Create a balanced scorecard that includes both hard metrics (cost savings) and soft benefits (improved decision-making speed).

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Infrastructure Isn't Sexy, But It's Everything

Before you dive into AI, make sure you have:

• Enough computing power
• Secure data storage
• Reliable network capacity
• Backup systems that actually work

Pro Tip: Skimping on infrastructure is like building a house on sand. It might look fine at first, but just wait.

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Playing the Long Game

Here's the truth: AI isn't a quick fix. It's a fundamental shift in how your finance function operates. This means:

Do This Now:

• Start training your team on AI basics
• Begin documenting your processes
• Identify areas where AI could add value
• Build relationships with tech vendors

Don't Do This:

• Rush into large-scale implementations
• Ignore employee concerns about AI
• Try to automate everything at once
• Focus only on cost-cutting

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Making Your Team AI-Ready (Without Causing a Panic)

Your people are going to be nervous about AI. Here's how to handle it:

Be Transparent

• Explain what AI will and won't do
• Show how it makes their jobs better
• Involve them in the process

Read more: Building a Healthy Data Culture: 7 Factors to Consider (Part 1)

Invest in Training

• Not just technical skills
• Focus on AI literacy
• Encourage experimentation

Pro Tip: Position AI as a tool that makes work more interesting, not a replacement for human judgment.

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The Ethics Thing (Because Yes, It Matters)

As CFO, you need to think about:

• Data privacy (it's not just IT's problem)
• Algorithmic bias (yes, it's real)
• Transparency in AI decisions
• Regulatory compliance

Pro Tip: If you can't explain how your AI makes decisions, you're not ready to use it.

Read more: Infor Coleman AI Wins Prestigious Stratus Award for Artificial Intelligence

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Your 90-Day Action Plan

Month 1:

• Audit your data quality
• Identify one pilot project
• Form your AI leadership team

Month 2:

• Start data cleanup
• Begin infrastructure assessment
• Draft AI governance guidelines

Month 3:

• Launch your pilot project
• Start basic AI training
• Set up monitoring metrics

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The Last Word

AI isn't magic. It's a tool – a powerful one, but still just a tool. Your job as CFO is to make sure it's used wisely, implemented carefully, and managed effectively.

Remember:

• Start small
• Build foundations
• Think long-term
• Keep it practical

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The organisations that win with AI won't be the ones with the biggest budgets or the fanciest technology. They'll be the ones that approach it thoughtfully, implement it carefully, and use it to solve real problems.

Now go make it happen. Your future self will thank you.

P.S. Keep this guide handy. You're going to need it.