CFOs Shift from Skepticism to Strategic AI Investment with Agentic AI

Chief financial officers (CFOs) are now betting big on AI, despite initially taking a cautious approach during the early days of the generative AI boom. A recent Salesforce study reveals that CFOs have fundamentally shifted their approach to AI, now viewing it as a business-critical technology and a key revenue driver. Nearly 70% of CFOs reported having a conservative AI strategy in 2020. However, with the emergence of generative and agentic AI tools, only 4% maintain a cautious stance today. Conversely, a third of CFOs have adopted an aggressive approach, accelerating AI adoption and integration across various business functions.

Positive Returns Drive Change

Salesforce highlights that a key factor behind this shift is the positive return on investment (ROI) from AI technologies. Throughout 2023 and 2024, CFOs frequently questioned whether AI would deliver tangible returns. Research from Salesforce last year showed that 65% of CFOs faced intense pressure to demonstrate ROI on tech investments. With the arrival of AI agents, CFOs’ evaluation metrics have evolved. Nearly 61% now measure success based on productivity and efficiency gains, rather than solely financial returns. One respondent noted that ROI measurement on older technologies often depends on immediate, measurable results, whereas agentic AI returns accrue over the long term.

“Traditional technology investments mainly focus on immediate financial returns that can be easily visible, but AI benefits are a mix of long and short term duration. KPIs are focused based on business outcomes.”

Robin Washington, president and chief operational and financial officer at Salesforce, said the introduction of AI agents has prompted a decisive and strategic shift for CFOs.

“With AI agents, we're not merely transforming business models; we're fundamentally reshaping the entire scope of the CFO function. This demands a new mindset as we expand beyond financial stewards to also become architects of agentic enterprise value.”

What Are CFOs Excited About?

CFOs now see AI agents as key revenue drivers and tools to streamline operations. On average, they allocate 25% of their AI budgets to agentic AI, reflecting strong enthusiasm for the technology. The rationale behind this investment is the expectation of long-term cost savings and revenue growth. Nearly 74% of CFOs believe AI agents will cut costs and increase revenue by up to 20%. However, concerns remain. Privacy risks associated with AI were cited by 66% of respondents as a leading issue. One CFO remarked:

“Other technology does not typically involve the ethical risks AI does. If AI goes wrong, the reputational cost affects ROI in ways regular tools never would.”

Additionally, 56% of CFOs worry about the long time horizon for ROI, especially amid challenging macroeconomic conditions. Despite these concerns, 61% agree that AI agents, or “digital labor” as Salesforce terms it, will be crucial for navigating economic challenges and maintaining competitiveness.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

CFOs and AI Investment

Q: What is the general sentiment among CFOs regarding AI investment, according to the article? A: CFOs have shifted from initial skepticism to making strategic investments in AI, viewing it as a critical technology and revenue driver. Q: How has the percentage of CFOs with a conservative AI strategy changed? A: The percentage has dropped significantly from nearly 70% in 2020 to just 4% today, indicating a more aggressive approach to AI adoption. Q: What are the primary metrics CFOs now use to measure AI success? A: While financial returns were previously paramount, CFOs now largely measure success based on productivity and efficiency gains (nearly 61%). Q: What is the expected impact of AI agents on cost and revenue according to CFOs? A: A large majority of CFOs (nearly 74%) believe AI agents will cut costs and increase revenue by up to 20%. Q: What are the main concerns CFOs have about AI? A: The primary concerns are privacy risks (cited by 66%) and the long time horizon for ROI, especially in challenging economic conditions (worry for 56%). Q: How do CFOs view the role of AI agents in navigating economic challenges? A: A significant majority (61%) agree that AI agents, or "digital labor," are crucial for overcoming economic hurdles and maintaining competitiveness. Q: What portion of AI budgets are CFOs allocating to agentic AI? A: On average, CFOs are allocating 25% of their AI budgets to agentic AI.

Crypto Market AI's Take

The increasing strategic investment by CFOs in AI, particularly agentic AI, mirrors the broader trend of businesses leveraging advanced technologies for growth and efficiency. This adoption signifies a mature understanding of AI's potential beyond simple automation, aligning with how AI is increasingly being integrated into financial markets and trading platforms. At Crypto Market AI, we recognize this shift. Our platform is built on similar principles, utilizing AI-driven insights and tools to help navigate the complex and volatile cryptocurrency landscape. For instance, our AI Analysts provide sophisticated market analysis, and our Trading Bots execute strategies based on these insights, aiming to maximize returns and manage risk, much like businesses are seeking to do with agentic AI. This growing acceptance of AI in finance underscores the value of data-driven decision-making and the pursuit of efficiency, principles that are fundamental to our own services.

CFOs were skeptical about AI investment, but they’ve changed their tune since the arrival of agents