Is artificial intelligence truly intelligent? Sometimes it struggles with elementary school math tasks. On the other hand, it can recognize and win a difficult chess game or generate graphics. How will technology impact the accounting and analyst professions?
What is artificial intelligence (AI)?
A predicting machine, or more professionally, a predictive algorithm. This is how new AI technologies were named and described in the book "Predicting machine: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence" (authors: Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans, Avi Goldfarb), which simply explains how we transitioned from common mathematical models to a technological revolution. And today, we are already talking about the implementation of generative artificial intelligence.
AI, or rather a predictive algorithm, based on the data it possesses, provides us with information that we lack. I ask if it's worth buying Orlen shares. And I get an answer from ChatGPT: "I cannot provide individual investment recommendations, but I can present objective factors to consider when deciding whether to buy Orlen (PKN Orlen) shares." The information I received is available online, likely scattered across many pages. In this case, ChatGPT, based on publicly available data and experience from millions of user queries, presented me with information. By experience, I mean the feedback it received from people who asked similar questions before me. Artificial intelligence is a vast collection of data on which it performs tasks or predicts what information we lack.
What tasks are AI already performing for financial professionals today?
Finance relies primarily on data, especially accounting and controlling. Many companies have already started implementing AI tools to automate and streamline financial processes.
Financial data analysis
AI has changed the approach to data analysis and, consequently, altered the requirements for financial analysts. Just a few years ago, an analyst's job involved reviewing data in systems, assembling it into a logical whole, drawing conclusions, and preparing reports. Today, AI can perform these tasks. Artificial intelligence can quickly analyze huge datasets—sales reports, operating expenses, results from several companies or years. An example of a tool that performs well in controlling is Microsoft Power BI with the Copilot AI add-on. It can automatically generate financial summaries and answer questions such as: "Why did the margin in Q2 drop compared to Q1?"
Revenue and cost forecasting
AI not only analyzes historical data but can predict future results, considering seasonal factors, market changes, and demand dynamics. Predictive models support better budget planning and financial scenarios.
Accounting and reporting automation
This is not a new topic. I first heard about OCR (Optical Character Recognition) in 2004 while working at IBM BTO. One of the first shared services in Krakow handled accounting for companies like Unilever and Coats. Thousands of invoices landed on our desks, then went into the scanner and into the accounting system. Today, OCR is self-evident; in addition, a good program can automatically post an invoice based on a schema, recognize VAT, and finally prepare reports and declarations. The role of the accountant is reduced to control and analysis. Artificial intelligence will replace people performing simple accounting tasks, but it will not take responsibility for the correctness of settlements.
Risk assessment and credit analysis
Organizations, not only in the financial industry, using AI can instantly analyze a counterparty's creditworthiness, payment history, and capital links. Models evaluate not only financial data but also behavioral and industry data.
What artificial intelligence cannot yet do – and why it matters
Artificial intelligence can analyze data faster than humans, but it still struggles with the context of changing business realities. It does not make decisions based on intuition, experience, or interpersonal relationships—and these often play a significant role in the work of financial directors. AI does not possess emotional intelligence, so it cannot detect tensions within a team, assess the credibility of an interlocutor, or build trust. It also cannot handle ambiguous tax situations that require interpreting regulations, not just applying them. A machine will not ask "why?" when the numbers are correct but their meaning raises doubts. Humans give meaning to data—AI merely organizes it.
AI as a tool, not a threat: the new role of the financial professional in a company
According to the report "The State of AI in Finance 2025," 85% of CFOs in the USA see the potential of AI in financial planning, but only 39% of teams have implemented actual solutions. Why? Organizations primarily lack the skills to both implement and operate AI-based tools. Employees fear job reductions, and thus their motivation for change is low.
The situation is entirely different in Europe. According to the report Europe's Race to
Tech Readiness prepared by BCG, France signals greater digital ambitions by 2026 – 28% of top executives plan to allocate 30–50% of their total budget to technology. In comparison, only 18% in Germany declare such an investment level, and 46% allocate less than 20% of their budget to this end.
AI will not replace the emotional intelligence of an expert who builds trust in a team, explains complex data, and prepares leaders for critical decisions. In practice, this means that the role of the financial professional is evolving—not as an automator, but as an advisor who can base their recommendations on analysis, intuition, and experience.
How to prepare the finance department for transformation?
Preparing finance for changes related to the implementation of artificial intelligence tools requires a strategic view of current working methods and determining where artificial intelligence can bring the greatest added value. Success means moving from decisions based on hunches to management fully supported by reliable data—this means investing in data organization. The team must acquire new skills: from analytics, through the practical use of AI, to critical thinking that truly supports business decisions. Management faces the challenge of creating a coherent strategy that combines the capabilities of technology with the talents and experience of employees. Transforming the finance department from an administrative center into a strategic business partner—a team that not only reacts to changes but co-creates and drives them. True transformation always begins with a team that understands the possibilities of new technologies and is ready to use them.
Summary
Artificial intelligence in finance is no longer a futuristic vision, but a tool that can significantly accelerate analysis, streamline reporting, and improve forecast accuracy. However, it will not replace experience, intuition, and relationship-building skills—elements that give data context and meaning. In the coming years, the winners will be those organizations that combine the capabilities of AI with the competencies of their teams, transforming finance departments into strategic partners. This requires courage, investment in people, and a readiness to change the role of the financial professional from a process executor to an advisor who connects the world of numbers with business reality.
