Consero finds 42% finance AI adoption

Consero said on May 18 that its 2026 CFO Survey found 42% of finance leaders now run artificial intelligence broadly or have it fully embedded in finance workflows, up from 22% a year earlier. The Austin, Texas-based finance services company said the survey covered 102 finance leaders at investor-backed businesses with $20 million to $500 million in revenue. Consero said 87% of respondents are hiring more finance staff and 99% expect at least one material transaction this year. The company released the findings in a press statement and said the full report is available for download. ### How big was the jump in finance AI use? The 42% figure marked a 20-percentage-point increase from 2025, when 22% of respondents said AI was broadly deployed or fully embedded in finance, according to Consero. The company said overall AI adoption in finance reached 97% in 2026, up 23 points in two years. (newswire.com) Consero said the survey population was made up of CFOs and vice presidents of finance, with CFOs accounting for 71% of respondents and VPs of Finance 29%. The respondents came from investor-backed companies across five industries, the company said. ### Who did Consero survey, and what kinds of companies were included? (newswire.com) The 102 respondents worked at private equity- and venture capital-backed businesses with annual revenue between $20 million and $500 million, Consero said. The company described the report as a benchmark focused on investor-backed finance leaders. (newswire.com) Consero, which describes itself as a provider of Finance as a Service, has been building an AI-focused finance stack through partnerships announced in recent months. On April 27, Consero said it partnered with Ramp to offer accounts payable and spend automation through its Fusion Lab. On February 5, it said it partnered with Brex on corporate cards and expense management, and on October 28, 2025, it announced a partnership with Rillet on AI-native finance systems. (newswire.com) ### What else did the survey say about finance teams? Consero said 87% of finance teams are hiring more staff even as AI use expands. The company said 76% of respondents expect a return on AI investment within 12 months, while 3% are skeptical about payoff. (newswire.com) The survey also found that 65% of respondents close the month in under 10 days, up from 8% in 2024, according to Consero. The company said that change amounted to an eightfold increase over two years. ### What do the transaction numbers show? Consero said 99% of respondents expect at least one material transaction this year. (newswire.com) The company also said 50% are pursuing add-on acquisitions, which it described as a year-over-year surge. Those figures place the AI adoption data alongside an active operating agenda inside the same finance teams. (newswire.com) Consero tied the survey to topics including AI return on investment, close performance, headcount and the 2026 risk picture in the full report. ### Where can readers find the underlying report? (newswire.com) Consero said the full 2026 CFO Survey includes segment-level cuts, methodology and trend analysis. The company said the report is available for download from its website beginning May 18. Consero’s next public-facing events calendar includes a Data, Technology & AI Summit scheduled for June 3, 2026, in Palo Alto, California, according to its events page. (newswire.com) The company lists additional forums and roundtables on its website. (consero.com)