CFOs were skeptical about AI investment, but they’ve changed their tune since the arrival of agents

Chief financial officers (CFOs) are now betting big on AI, despite taking a cautious approach during the early days of the generative AI ‘boom’.

A new study from Salesforce shows CFOs have “fundamentally shifted their approach” to AI, now viewing it as a business-critical technology and a key revenue driver.

Nearly three-quarters (70%) of CFOs reported having a “conservative” AI strategy in 2020, but the emergence of generative and agentic AI tools mean just 4% are pursuing a cautious approach.

In contrast, a third of respondents told Salesforce they have now adopted an “aggressive approach” to the technology, ramping up adoption and integration across an array of business functions.

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A key factor behind this change, Salesforce noted, lies in positive returns on investment (ROI). Concerns about whether the technology would deliver bang for its buck were a frequent talking point across 2023 and 2024.

Research from the CRM giant last year showed 65% of CFOs faced huge pressure to deliver a return on tech investments. However, with the arrival of AI agents, there’s been a marked change in tune.

Nearly two-thirds (61%) of CFOs said AI agents have changed how they evaluate ROI and are now measuring success based on other metrics such as productivity and efficiency, as opposed to simple financial rewards.

One respondent told Salesforce measuring ROI on “older technology often depends on immediate, measurable results”. With agentic AI, this is more of a slow burn situation where returns "accrue over the long term”.

“Traditional technology investments mainly focus on immediate financial returns that can be easily visible,” another respondent said. “But AI benefits are a mix of long and short term duration. KPIs are focused based on business outcomes.”

Robin Washington, president and chief operational and financial officer at Salesforce, said the introduction of the technology has prompted a “decisive and strategic shift for CFOs”.

“With AI agents, we're not merely transforming business models; we're fundamentally reshaping the entire scope of the CFO function,” Washington said.

“This demands a new mindset as we expand beyond financial stewards to also become architects of agentic enterprise value.”

What are CFOs excited about?

CFOs now view AI agents as a key revenue driver and a means to streamline operations, according to Salesforce. On average, financial officers are dedicating 25% of their total AI budgets on agents, underlining the huge appetite for the technology.

The logic behind this heightened investment lies in the long-term saving and broader revenue gains, the survey found. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of CFOs said they believe AI agents will cut costs and increase revenue by up to 20%.

There are concerns, however. Privacy risks associated with the technology were earmarked as a leading issue, cited by 66% of respondents.

“Other technology does not typically involve the ethical risks AI does, if AI goes wrong, the reputational cost affects ROI in ways regular tools never would,” one respondent told Salesforce.

Similarly, with enterprises facing challenging macroeconomic conditions, the long time to ROI was also a notable worry, cited by 56% of respondents.

Regardless, 61% said that AI agents, or “digital labor” as Salesforce dubs it, will be crucial in navigating challenging conditions and remaining competitive in the current economic environment.

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