Conclusion: Positioning for the Future
With a significant proportion of treasurers expecting to implement some form of AI in the next couple of years, the real question is how to prepare treasury to gain the most from it. There are a number of ways to do so:
- Provide opportunities for team members to explore the technology. Encourage experimentation with AI tools and test their ideas.
- Think about data and implementing a data strategy. Identify whether treasury has access to specific data.
- Map out existing processes and try to identify pain points. At present, the most effective uses of AI involve the further automation of time-consuming processes.
- Remember treasury technical skills and emphasize control. AI is only as effective as the parameters it is given. Consider which decisions can be automated, where human decisions and authorizations are required, and how these processes will be controlled.
- Consider opportunities for change. Think about what technology can achieve and where it might fit. Focus on whether implementing a new solution now will improve efficiency today, rather than worrying about how the technology might evolve.
- Use time freed through automation to focus on the value-added skills that AI cannot do, including strategic analysis, communication and change management.
- Build relationships with company leadership. At present, the C-suite and board still rely on the CFO and treasury for data when setting strategy and reviewing performance. But this relationship will change as GenAI enables leadership to query data directly and generate their own reports. “Instead of reporting, treasurers increasingly need to use AI to interpret insights, influence decisions, and lead practical change,” said Richards.
Ultimately, technology is only valuable when it drives meaningful outcomes. AI is no different. Its adoption represents the next stage in the emergence of treasury as a key strategic partner to the business.
About the Authors
Guy Voizey WWCP Ltd
Guy Voizey has been a financial writer and editor for over 20 years. He is a director of WWCP Ltd, a research and publishing company, which specializes in the provision of information and editorial on corporate treasury and cash management. Guy wrote (or co-wrote) four books co-published by WWCP. In addition, Guy has also written over 20 executive and other guides for AFP, covering a range of topics, including liquidity management, cybersecurity, capital structure, taxation, and accounting. Guy edited the AFP’s Essentials of Treasury Management (7th edition).
Tom Hunt, CTP Director, Treasury Services and Payments Association for Financial Professionals
Tom Hunt, CTP, is the Director of Treasury Services at the Association for Financial Professionals. Hunt has more than 15 years of direct treasury experience working across different industries, including various roles at Medtronic, Fairview Health Systems and, most recently, at 3M Company. At 3M, he oversaw the global banking strategy, redesigned and implemented a new domestic cash management structure and led acquisition activities for the treasury department. He holds an MBA in finance from the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN.
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