Transformation is never simple, but it can be genuinely exciting. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is seeing companies unlock innovation from within their own teams. Over the past few months, that’s exactly what we’ve witnessed during our CFO AI Breakfast Briefings, run in partnership with Morgan McKinley across London, Cork, Dublin, Limerick and Bristol.
These sessions weren’t just about showcasing technology; they sparked real conversations. For me, it was the energy in the room and the chats afterwards that stood out. People are curious, engaged and, most importantly, ready.
Who’s Leading the Change?
Francis Donohue, our Customer Experience Director at Org, played a central role in these events. He spoke passionately about Idea2Innovate, our structured programme that helps organisations turn ideas from frontline staff into real automation and AI use cases. The CFOs in the room really connected with it because it’s practical, actionable, and proven to deliver results fast.
Francis walked through the core stages of the programme:
- Identifying pain points through team-led idea generation
- Prioritising high-impact opportunities
- Validating ideas with business analysts
- Building business cases with measurable ROI
- Rapid delivery of automation and AI proofs of value
It’s a framework built for speed and real-world impact.
Explaining the AI Journey: From RPA to Agentic AI
At the briefings, we broke down the layers of intelligent automation, helping finance leaders understand how these tools work together:
- RPA (Robotic Process Automation): Digital workers performing repetitive, rule-based tasks. UiPath is a standout here, enabling teams to automate AP, reconciliations, reporting and more.
- Automation: Broader workflows that reduce manual handoffs, integrate systems, and enable faster decision-making across teams.
- Conversational AI: Platforms like Druid AI provide 24/7 multilingual digital assistants that guide users, answer queries, and triage requests without major system changes.
- Agentic AI: The next evolution. Tools like Deep Opinion not only process documents, they understand context and take smart action, automatically handling exceptions, missing data, and task routing.
Pragmatism Over Perfection
A consistent theme across all events? “It will never be the perfect time or the perfect system.” But that’s exactly why now is the perfect time.
CFOs are under pressure to deliver more with less, to adapt faster, and to lead on transformation. The best-performing teams aren’t waiting for perfection, they’re starting small, proving value, and scaling from there. And the good news? You don’t need to rebuild your tech stack.
Platforms like UiPath, Deep Opinion, and Druid AI are designed to integrate with what you already have – bringing the benefits of AI and automation into your business in weeks, not months or years.
Your People Are Ready
Your finance teams already have AI in their personal lives using smart assistants, streaming recommendations, online banking. They’re ready to bring that same mindset to work.
CFOs who create the space and structure for this are unlocking faster innovation, stronger employee engagement, and tangible business impact.
Tackling the Big Questions CFOs Are Asking
Throughout our CFO AI Breakfast series, a consistent set of questions emerged – practical, strategic, and rooted in the real-world complexity of leading finance functions. CFOs asked: Where do I even start? Can we use AI without overhauling our ERP? How do I build a business case, ensure compliance, and bring my team with me? These are exactly the right questions – and they’re the ones we help answer every day. Our approach starts by identifying quick-win use cases that work within your current tech stack. We prioritise automation projects that show measurable ROI fast – often within weeks – through a tightly scoped Proof of Value. Security, auditability, and regulatory compliance are built in from the ground up. Most importantly, we engage your teams in the process, fostering adoption and embedding AI as a tool that enhances their roles rather than threatens them. AI in finance isn’t about disruption for its own sake – it’s about enabling better decisions, freeing up capacity, and helping your people do their best work.
How CFOs Are Using AI Today
Currently, across industries and company sizes, we’re seeing CFOs embrace AI in the following ways:
- Routine task automation – UiPath streamlines AP, procurement, and reporting
- Predictive analytics & forecasting – Using data trends to guide strategic decisions
- Risk & compliance – Deep Opinion detects anomalies and automates governance
- Revenue growth – AI uncovers new customer and pricing insights
- Conversational support – Druid AI handles internal and external queries, 24/7
- Cross-functional leadership – Finance leaders are now shaping org-wide strategy with AI insights
Next steps? Do Something
The biggest risk isn’t trying and failing, it’s doing nothing.
Our advice remains simple:
- Start small
- Prove value with a working Proof of Value
- Scale with confidence
- And above all, bring your people on the journey
If you’d like to learn more about how we’re helping CFOs through our Idea2Innovate programme, I’d love to have that conversation.
Written By
Mark O'Connor
Managing Director of the Data, AI & Automation Practice
