Finance leaders are ending 2025 with a sharper focus on artificial intelligence, data security, and the impact of tariffs on financial planning. According to Protiviti’s latest Global Finance Trends Survey, 41% of CFOs express strong confidence in their ability to navigate current economic conditions. AI adoption in finance has seen rapid growth, with the number of organizations using AI more than doubling year-over-year, from 34% in 2024 to 72% in 2025.
The most common applications include process automation, financial forecasting, and risk management. Tariffs remain a significant pressure point, with 64% of CFOs reporting an impact on forecasting, while many firms are strengthening supplier oversight and adopting advanced FP&A tools such as driver-based models and predictive analytics to improve resilience.
Data security and privacy continue to be top concerns for CFOs, as AI adoption introduces new risks alongside new capabilities. Finance leaders are now collaborating more closely with CIOs and CISOs to modernize technology, strengthen governance, and address regulatory demands in cybersecurity disclosure. This shift highlights the expanding role of CFOs as strategic partners in enterprise-wide decision-making.
