Science & Tech · AI · 13 hrs ago
Finance chiefs take on a bigger role in companies’ AI plans
Finance chiefs are taking a larger role in company AI decisions, including setting priorities, managing investment and weighing risks.
A global IBM survey found that 62% of finance chiefs said their role had expanded to include technology leadership or AI strategy; in Spain, the figure was 65%.
The shift comes as business use of AI grows: 33.6% of Spanish companies with at least 10 employees used AI in the first quarter of 2026, up from 21.1% a year earlier.
Outdated systems are holding back some projects: a separate survey of technology leaders in 19 countries found that 84% of chief information officers had cancelled an AI project because of legacy system limits.
Finance chiefs are also expected to help design financial and ethical safeguards, with 56% globally saying they expect greater responsibility for these controls by 2030.
Few finance departments say they are ready for full AI transformation: just 6% globally, and 5% in Spain, said AI was integrated into their workflows and decision-making.
Finance chiefs are taking a larger role in setting company priorities for artificial intelligence, according to an IBM Institute for Business Value study.
In the study, 62% of finance chiefs globally and 65% in Spain said their role had expanded to include technology leadership or AI strategy.
Technology leaders are more cautious, with infrastructure limits seen as a major barrier to AI progress.
A GFT Technologies report found that 84% of surveyed chief information officers had canceled an AI project because of legacy-system limits.
In Spain, 33.6% of companies with 10 or more employees used AI in the first quarter of 2026, up from 21.1% a year earlier.
- Who
- Company finance chiefs are taking on a larger role in AI planning, while technology leaders are more cautious.
- What
- Finance chiefs are helping set AI priorities and expect greater responsibility for AI controls. Technology leaders cite infrastructure limits.
- When
- The article was published on November 9, 2026. The cited company AI-use figures compare the first quarters of 2025 and 2026.
- Where
- The studies cover companies and executives globally; the article also gives figures for Spain.
- Why
- AI is becoming more integrated into business decisions, but outdated infrastructure is limiting some companies’ progress.
Finance chiefs
Technology leaders
Role in AI
Finance chiefs
Finance chiefs are taking a larger part in setting company AI priorities and strategy.
Technology leaders
Many technology leaders believe infrastructure limits are holding back significant AI progress.
Risks and controls
Finance chiefs
Finance chiefs see financial and ethical controls as an expanding responsibility.
Technology leaders
Technology leaders are skeptical in part because they fear an AI bubble.
21.1% of Spanish companies with 10 or more employees used AI.
AI use among Spanish companies with 10 or more employees rose to 33.6%.
Cinco Días published its report on finance chiefs’ expanding role and technology leaders’ concerns about AI.
- Spanish companies using AI, Q1 2026
- 33.6%
- Spanish companies using AI, Q1 2025
- 21.1%
- CFOs whose role expanded globally
- 62%
- CFOs whose role expanded in Spain
- 65%
- CIOs who canceled an AI project due to legacy systems
- 84%
What people are saying
What this means is that AI-related decisions now span capital, risk and workforce.
inevitable
Designing those controls is a natural extension of what the finance department already does.