Artificial Intelligence

Finance of the future

Bridging the gap: Why CFOs must turn ambition into action

The future of finance is being reshaped by the intersection of technology and talent, with CFOs expected to play a more strategic role in driving enterprise value. To succeed, CFOs must move beyond control and reporting to become true value creators, embedding AI more strategically, redefining performance metrics and building adaptable, digitally capable teams.

Ultimately, success will depend on how effectively CFOs balance technology, data and people to improve the speed and quality of decision-making and strengthen finance’s role as a strategic partner to the business. You can explore the full report here.

Findings from the 2026 AI sentiment study

The trust gap: As AI gains authority, who stays in control?

Artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving from a tool that supports decisions to one that increasingly acts on behalf of users, with adoption accelerating faster than trust in the technology. Despite concerns about AI, people are embedding it into every day and higher-stakes decisions, signalling a shift toward greater autonomy and decision-making authority happening sooner than many organisations expect.

For business leaders, this raises a critical imperative: establish clear guardrails, governance and trust frameworks as AI becomes more powerful, balancing innovation with accountability and control. To explore how this shift is unfolding and what it means for organisations, you can access the full EY report here.

How will retailers accelerate AI innovation to shape their future with confidence?

Four futures of AI: How AI will redefine growth, risk and value creation

Retail is entering a period of rapid AI-driven transformation, where Generative and Agentic AI are reshaping operations, customer engagement and growth strategies, but the pace of change and uncertain outcomes require a more scenario-based approach.

To navigate this uncertainty, the report outlines four potential AI-driven futures; Constraint, Growth, Transform and Collapse, each presenting different opportunities and risks for business models, competition and customer relationships. Across all scenarios, success will depend on more than just investing in AI; retailers must build strong data and technology foundations, balance human and AI capabilities, adapt to regulatory and geopolitical shifts, and explore new revenue models.

Access this interactive scenario tool to help you explore how AI could shape the future by walking through the Four Futures of AI and the choices that lead to them. For more detail on the Four Futures of AI, you can refer to the full report here.