There's no ignoring it now. AI in finance has gone from future-forward theory to something finance leaders are actively questioning, planning for and in some cases, experimenting with. But while the possibilities are exciting, many CFOs are still unsure where to start.
Why this conversation matters now
That's exactly why Annexa and NetSuite hosted the recent webinar AI outlook for finance – what every CFO needs to know in 2025. We brought together finance experts and tech leaders to explore how AI is transforming the finance function today and what's coming next.
And we didn't focus on the hype. The session unpacked the assistant and advisor roles AI will play in finance, walked through practical use cases and looked at what businesses need to do now to be ready for the next wave of capability.
Early interest, early days
What became clear from the live polls is that most finance teams are still in the early stages of adoption. Nearly 50% of attendees said they were 'just getting started' and more than half weren't confident their data was ready for AI tools. The interest is there, but so is the uncertainty.
That tension between curiosity and caution came through clearly. None of the attendees reported being fully AI-enabled or scaling AI across their finance operations. Another 35% said they weren't using any AI yet but were actively exploring options. Only a small group had gone beyond basic use cases.
It paints a realistic picture. AI in finance is no longer a distant concept, but it's also not a plug-and-play solution. Finance leaders are facing complex questions around security, data integrity, compliance and capability. They're trying to work out where AI delivers real value and where it risks creating more noise than progress. That's why this session focused not just on what AI is, but what it means for finance—and how to build the right foundations now.
Innovation, not just automation
The session also explored how software vendors like NetSuite are bringing new options to the table—ones that give finance leaders the opportunity to innovate, not just automate.
Tools like NetSuite's GenAI API and Prompt Studio are enabling finance teams to shape their own AI use cases. Rather than relying solely on pre-built features, these tools allow businesses to build assistant agents that surface meaningful insights across finance, CRM and support. Think overdue invoice alerts that also flag open support tickets, or predictive prompts to follow up on late payments before they happen.
Annexa is already working with early adopters to develop and test these capabilities. It's helping businesses move beyond task automation to intelligent, integrated decision-making. And it's a glimpse of what's coming next for finance—where AI doesn't just speed things up, it makes the function smarter and more connected.
Watch the full webinar
If you're exploring this space, the webinar replay is now available. Host Ananda Iyer from Annexa is joined by Oracle NetSuite's Matthew Vorpasso and Annexa's Matthew Owens as they dive into what's possible, what's next and how to get your systems, data and people ready for the shift.
Watch the webinar replay now: https://info.annexa.com.au/
