38% of CFOs remain undecided about AI’s cost versus risk

As CFOs look to balance proactive tech assessment with being “fast followers” of technology, the conundrum surrounding AI implementation across organizations has become another task for finance chiefs to lead this year. In addition to leading the finance function, CFOs now have to lead technology, risk assessment, data quality assurance, culture development and return-to-office initiatives. 

As the list of CFO responsibilities grows in tandem with technology offerings, CFOs unsurprisingly are skeptical. New data from the Financial Education and Research Foundation’s (FERF) 2025 Financial Executives Priorities Report says nearly 4 in 10 (38%) finance chiefs are undecided about the risks and benefits of AI investments for finance operations in 2025.  

While the researchers don’t identify what specific types of AI they are asking about, they say this stat “reveals a significant uncertainty or lack of clear strategies” among CFOs’ approach to AI consideration and implementation. 

As the AI marketplace remains unpredictable and its implementation costs show potential for disruption, CFOs, many of whom are now more educated about AI tools, have begun to develop more questions than answers about costs, the implementation process, cybersecurity and education strategies for employees. While an equal amount are undecided on AI and ready to make moderate investments with moderate risks, it’s the risk factor that all CFOs can agree on. Only 4% said AI implementation is low risk.  

To help address these risks and stay proactive, nearly a third of CFOs (30%) said they prioritized hiring finance team members with data management, technology and AI experience. This was second only to FP&A skills (43%) and was more of a priority than technical accounting skills (21%). According to surveyors, the emergence of these technologies and their potential widespread use in finance in the future has led to increased demand for tech-savvy talent. 

As AI advances with risks like deepfake fraud, concerns around cybersecurity among CFOs are growing. While experts have said data preparation is critical before shifting toward AI use, more than three-quarters of finance chiefs (78%) surveyed by FERF said they are concerned about cybersecurity threats impacting financial operations, and all of its data, in 2025. 

Surveyors also highlight an anecdote from a chief accounting officer who points to vulnerabilities in third-party software. “[Cybersecurity is] obviously top of our list because, as a multinational and as a company, we are obviously always being attacked,” the tech CAO said. “They’re always trying to infiltrate your system somehow. We also sell products, and if somebody infiltrates a product at a customer that we’ve sold, that can come back to us as well.” 

The weaponization of ransomware, cyber extortion, third-party risks and employee access are all things CFOs should watch for in 2025 to preserve the company’s ability to function and sustain the integrity of one of its most valuable commodities, its data. 

While a large majority (81%) of CFOs said they expect headcount to increase or remain stable this year, there is some concern about retaining talent. As inflation continues to impact employees at all levels of the organization, more than half (56%) of finance leaders say they are budgeting to increase payroll to ensure compensation figures match inflation while also reducing turnover in critical areas like finance and technology. 

Most CFOs are attempting to match compensation increases to inflation, but others who aren't say they're okay with an outcome of reduced headcounts. 

Just under 3 in 10 (29%) CFOs had a different sentiment, telling surveyors they anticipate handing out only slight wage increases, which may lead to higher turnover — an outcome that may be intentional. Though CFOs are confident in headcount sustainability, many companies have used moderate wage increases and return-to-office initiatives to help reduce inflated headcounts without layoffs.