PYMNTS.com · 12 Oct, 08:03 · Finance briefing

Finance Teams Embrace AI but Many Still Struggle to Unlock Working Capital

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

28%average pay gap between certified and uncertified finance staff

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83%of finance leaders rank upskilling a top-3 priority

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The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

Recent industry reporting indicates that while finance departments are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence tools, many organisations continue to face significant challenges in effectively unlocking working capital. This disconnect suggests that technological adoption alone does not guarantee improved liquidity management. Professionals in finance must now bridge the gap between AI implementation and tangible integration and strategic cash flow optimisation, ensuring that new technologies directly contribute to measurable financial health rather than serving merely as digital novelties within the broader corporate infrastructure.

Employer demand for AI in Accounting skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

You must evolve beyond traditional accounting to become a strategic partner who leverages AI for liquidity management. As organisations grapple with this gap, professionals who can interpret AI-driven insights to optimise cash flow will see their career value surge. Focus on mastering data analytics and financial modelling to translate algorithmic outputs into actionable working capital strategies. Do not merely implement tools; understand how they impact your balance sheet. Prioritise upskilling in AI applications for finance to remain competitive. Your next step is to audit your current skills against these emerging demands, ensuring you can drive tangible financial improvements through technology. This shift positions you as an indispensable asset in an era where efficiency dictates survival.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are AI in Accounting, Financial Modeling, Finance and Accounting and Data Science — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

Enrol in these
to benefit.

These programmes position you for exactly this shift — online, self-paced, and finishing with a verifiable certificate you can share the day you pass.