Will AI replace Financial Managers?

Some of your tasks will be automated. People who use AI will have the edge.

Task exposure to today's AI

48/100

Moderate exposure

This is the occupation's typical task mix. Your own score can be up to 30 points higher or lower depending on how you work: routine share, people contact, judgment and how much you already use AI.

Get your personal score

Will AI replace Financial Managers?

Not entirely. Today's AI tools can take on about 48% of the typical work in this occupation, mostly: evaluate financial reporting systems, accounting or collection procedures, or investment activities and make recommendations for changes to procedures, operating systems, budgets, or other financial control functions. The parts that stay human include: Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of workers in branches, offices, or departments of establishments, such as branch banks, brokerage firms, risk and insurance departments, or credit departments.; Develop or analyze information to assess the current or future financial status of firms.; Establish and maintain relationships with individual or business customers or provide assistance with problems these customers may encounter..

People who learn to use AI for the automatable parts keep the edge. The 3-phase plan below shows where to start.

Which tasks AI can take on

The largest tasks in this occupation, their share of the working week, and how much of each today's AI tools can do.

TaskAutomatable

Evaluate financial reporting systems, accounting or collection procedures, or investment activities and make recommendations for changes to procedures, operating systems, budgets, or other financial control functions. 62%

Prepare financial or regulatory reports required by laws, regulations, or boards of directors. 60%

Develop or analyze information to assess the current or future financial status of firms.AI already used 57%

Evaluate data pertaining to costs to plan budgets. 57%

Establish and maintain relationships with individual or business customers or provide assistance with problems these customers may encounter.AI already used 38%

Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of workers in branches, offices, or departments of establishments, such as branch banks, brokerage firms, risk and insurance departments, or credit departments. 35%

+ 11 more tasks (39% of the week) in the full test.

Your human edge

Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of workers in branches, offices, or departments of establishments, such as branch banks, brokerage firms, risk and insurance departments, or credit departments.
Develop or analyze information to assess the current or future financial status of firms.
Establish and maintain relationships with individual or business customers or provide assistance with problems these customers may encounter.

AI tools to try

ChatGPT / Claude for drafts and analysisMicrosoft 365 Copilot or Google Gemini for WorkspaceMeeting assistants (e.g. Otter, Fireflies)

Related roles

A 3-phase AI learning plan

Phase 1

AI for the admin load

Meeting notes, summaries and follow-ups with AI.
First drafts of reports, plans and emails.
Spreadsheet analysis with AI (formulas, charts, explanations).

Project

Use AI to draft next month's board financial report and variance commentary from anonymised budget-vs-actual spreadsheets, and log hours saved against last month's version.

Phase 2

Decisions with better input

Use AI to research options and summarise sources, then check them.
Scenario and risk analysis with AI as a sparring partner.
Set team rules for what may and may not go into AI tools.

Project

Build three 12-month cash-flow and cost scenarios with AI as sparring partner, verify every source figure yourself, and present the risk summary plus a one-page team rule on what data may enter AI tools.

Phase 3

Lead the change

Map which team tasks AI can take over or speed up.
Run a small pilot and measure time and quality.
Plan training and new roles for your team.

Project

Map your department's recurring tasks for AI potential, pilot AI-assisted monthly close or credit-file summaries with two staff for three weeks, and report time saved and error rates.

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