AI Revolutionizes Finance: Redesigning Jobs and Success in the Industry

Finance is undergoing a significant transformation with the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI). Trading floors are now dominated by AI-driven algorithmic trading systems, while investment banking is seeing grunt work automated. Consumer and retail banking is also experiencing an AI revolution, with chatbots and robo-advisors taking on customer service tasks. AI is also being used in risk and compliance, identifying anomalies and potential fraud. The future of finance is not about humans versus machines, but about humans collaborating with AI to create new opportunities and redefine job roles.

The finance sector is experiencing a significant transformation with the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). From trading floors dominated by AI-driven algorithmic trading systems to investment banking grunt work being automated, AI is reshaping various aspects of finance. Consumer and retail banking are also witnessing an AI revolution, with chatbots and robo-advisors handling customer service tasks. Additionally, AI is being leveraged for risk and compliance, identifying anomalies and potential fraud. The future of finance is not about humans versus machines but about humans collaborating with AI to create new opportunities and redefine job roles.

Agentic AI, a breakthrough in AI technology, is playing a pivotal role in this transformation. It empowers software agents with the ability to reason, decide, respond, and pivot in real-time when unexpected events arise. When deployed through an orchestration engine like UiPath Maestro, AI agents act as virtual project managers, intelligently coordinating actions across systems, teams, and technologies for judgment-intensive workflows in month-end close, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and more [1].

Early adopters of Agentic AI in finance and accounting have slashed close times by up to 50%, transformed AR collections, and enabled real-time forecasting. According to the UiPath Agentic AI Report 2025, 72% of finance leaders cite operational efficiency and enhanced productivity as the top benefits of Agentic AI. Despite 58% of finance functions using AI, 86% reported no significant ROI in 2024, highlighting the need for a clear strategy and targeted use cases [1].

Agentic AI in finance and accounting helps finance leaders overcome the limitations of traditional automation. It offers the first real opportunity to autonomously orchestrate siloed technologies like Generative AI, APIs, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) into fully integrated, end-to-end business operations. Organizations are taking note: 72% of executives cite increased operational efficiency and productivity as top benefits of implementation, according to UiPath’s 2025 Agentic AI Report [1].

Gartner predicts that at least 15% of day-to-day work decisions will be made autonomously through Agentic AI by 2028. Yet, despite its transformative potential, only 15% of enterprise CFOs are actively piloting or exploring Agentic AI today, leaving most organizations at the starting line [1].

To help put some perspective into this topic, let’s break down six Agentic AI use cases reshaping finance:

1. Real-time financial forecasting: Agentic AI empowers finance teams to move beyond static, outdated forecasts by continuously gathering real-time data from enterprise resource planning (ERP), banking systems, and external sources like market trends and supply chain shifts. AI agents can autonomously analyze data and run scenario models to produce forecasts that update daily, helping CFOs make faster, more confident decisions about cash flow and working capital [1].

2. Accelerated financial close: Closing the books has long been a time-consuming, error-prone part of transaction processing. Agentic AI can transform this cycle by automating and orchestrating financial close activities end-to-end, while keeping humans in the loop for key reviews and approvals. AI agents can scan ledgers, flag human errors, and spot unusual transactions, accelerating close times by 30-50% [1].

3. Intelligent accounts receivable transformation: Agentic AI can change AR operations by orchestrating end-to-end, judgment-heavy processes such as cash application, collections, and dispute resolution. AI agents can analyze customer payment behavior, adapt follow-up strategies in real time, and utilize autonomous decision making to prioritize accounts, improving cash visibility and reducing manual tasks [1].

4. Streamlined accounts payable: Agentic AI for accounts payable can transform the payment process by autonomously verifying invoices against contracts and purchase orders, detecting duplicates or anomalies, and routing exceptions for approval. AI agents can extract and validate invoice data and push transactions through approval workflows without manual touchpoints, reducing risk and improving efficiency [1].

5. Proactive budget management: Traditional budget tracking is typically reactive. Agentic AI addresses this issue by continuously monitoring departmental spending in real time, comparing it against budgets, and flagging anomalies before they escalate. AI agents can recommend reallocations or adjust budgets once approvals are granted, giving financial executives live insights into spending trends [1].

6. Fraud detection and compliance: Agentic AI can continuously scan transactions, vendor records, and operational data to detect fraud patterns and compliance breaches in real time. AI agents can cross-check vendor tax IDs, sanction lists, and payment data before execution, stopping suspicious activity before losses occur and maintaining live audit trails [1].

Smart tips for implementing Agentic AI in finance and accounting include ensuring a clear strategy and targeted use cases. While 58% of finance teams adopted artificial intelligence in 2024, 86% reported seeing no significant returns from their AI initiatives [1].

References:
[1] https://www.auxis.com/agentic-ai-for-finance-and-accounting-key-use-cases-tips/