Advice Hub

AI Is Changing Finance Teams in 2025 — But Not How You Think

Insights

Automation isn’t the threat. It’s the unlock.

There’s a quiet revolution happening in finance.

It’s not about replacing accountants with robots or handing over decision-making to machines. It’s about using AI to shift the shape of finance work — moving from reactive and repetitive to strategic and future-facing.

In 2025, the best finance teams aren’t just faster. They’re sharper, leaner, and more impactful — not because they’re working harder, but because they’re working differently.

Team meeting

The Old Finance Model Is Cracking

Traditionally, finance has been defined by cycles.

Month-end. Quarter-end. Reporting deadlines. Manual reconciliations. Endless back-and-forth over data.

But AI doesn’t care about cycles. It works in real time.

That means issues get flagged as they happen — not three weeks later when someone finds an anomaly in a spreadsheet. Commentary is drafted while you sleep. Expense claims get reviewed without anyone having to lift a finger.

And the best bit? This isn’t future-state stuff. It’s already happening — and the gap between teams embracing it and those resisting it is growing.

From Doers to Interpreters

As AI takes over the mechanical parts of finance — tagging transactions, reconciling data, running reports — the value of the human team shifts.

Finance professionals aren’t just doers anymore. They’re interpreters. Strategists. Business partners.

Instead of spending hours building reports, they’re now focused on what the numbers mean — and how to act on them. Instead of answering the same finance query for the fifth time that week, they’re helping teams plan smarter for the quarter ahead.

It’s a shift from output to outcomes. From volume to value.

Reimagining Finance Roles (and Careers)

This evolution isn’t just about the tech. It’s about what roles look like going forward.

AI is helping finance leaders:

  • Match talent to the right projects faster

  • Reduce repetitive task loads for junior team members

  • Improve forecasting and cash flow planning accuracy

  • Make recruitment more inclusive and efficient

The teams that embrace this aren’t replacing people — they’re elevating them. They’re creating space for curiosity, decision-making, and creativity in a function that’s too often drowned in admin.

This Isn’t About Trend-Chasing. It’s About Staying Relevant.

We’re not saying every business needs to install a chatbot and overhaul their finance stack tomorrow.

But we are saying this: if you’re still relying on processes built for 2015, your competitors will overtake you — and your best people may leave to join them.

The best finance teams in 2025 won’t just be those with the flashiest tech. They’ll be the ones that know how to blend automation with expertise, and data with decision-making.

Final Thought: Finance Is Getting Smarter — Are You Ready?

AI isn’t replacing finance teams.

It’s transforming them — giving them tools that reduce low-value noise and create more space for high-value thinking.

The question isn’t whether AI has a place in your function. It’s whether your team is ready to use it.

Building a Forward-Looking Finance Team?

At We Do Group, we work with businesses who want more than status quo hires.
We find finance talent who are curious, adaptable, and ready to grow — not just keep up.

Want help shaping your next hire?

Let’s chat.

 

More from our Advice Hub

Video

Mastering Your Interim Career – We Do Workshop 2

Following the success of our first workshop a few months ago, we’re excited to announce another...

Read More
Insights

Xero Crowned the King of Finance Systems for SMEs

2 min read
Published 1 year ago

The results from our recent poll are in! We were curious about which finance system small to medium enterprises (SMEs) prefer. So, we turned to our LinkedIn audience for their insights, and here...

Read More
Insights

How to Market Yourself as an Interim Finance Professional

3 min read
Published 2 years ago

Navigating the waters of interim finance requires more than just a keen sense of numbers and analysis; it demands a proactive stance in marketing oneself. Let’s delve into practical...

Read More
Insights

What is the “best” accounting qualification?

3 min read
Published 1 year ago

At We Do Group, a recruitment agency specialising in finance and accounting professionals, we frequently encounter the debate over the “best” accounting qualification. Recently, we...

Read More
Insights

Supercharge Your Hiring and Job Search with We Do Benchmark

2 min read
Published 1 year ago

Whether you’re looking to hire top talent or land your dream finance job, We Do Benchmark is here to make the process easier—and more fun! Have you tried our big red button yet? It’s...

Read More
Insights

Ask These Questions to Hire the Right Finance Candidate

5 min read
Published 3 weeks ago
Interview

Hiring someone who’s ‘good with numbers’ isn’t enough.
What really matters is whether they understand the story behind the numbers — and can use that insight to guide smarter...

Read More