The Human Side of AI in Finance

At NY Tech Week, Merraine was proud to bring together an exceptional group of CFOs, finance leaders, founders, investors, product executives, and advisors for an evening of conversation at Nasdaq MarketSite.

The discussion, led by PwC, focused on a topic that is dominating boardrooms and leadership meetings across industries: how finance organizations can leverage artificial intelligence while maintaining the trust, accuracy, and accountability that great finance teams are built upon.

While much of the conversation centered on AI-powered finance tools, automation, and finance transformation, what stood out to me most was that the discussion ultimately came back to people.

As AI becomes increasingly embedded in finance and accounting workflows, leaders are facing important questions. What should be automated? What requires human oversight? And where does judgment remain irreplaceable?

There is tremendous opportunity in AI-driven finance transformation. Automation can streamline reporting, reduce manual processes, improve efficiency, and allow finance teams to spend more time on strategic decision-making. But finance has always been a function built on trust. Data integrity, governance, financial controls, and accountability remain critical regardless of how advanced the technology becomes.

One of the most interesting conversations of the evening focused on AI agent errors. It is not enough to ask whether an error occurred. Leaders must also understand the type of error, whether a human might have made a similar mistake, and how that error could impact reporting, compliance, business performance, or investor confidence.

These conversations highlight an important reality: the future of finance is not just a technology transformation. It is also a leadership transformation.

AI will undoubtedly change how finance organizations operate, but it will not eliminate the need for exceptional finance and accounting talent. If anything, it will increase demand for leaders who can think strategically, manage risk, communicate effectively, and guide organizations through change.

As companies grow, raise capital, navigate private equity investment, or prepare for an eventual exit, finance leaders must ask themselves important questions:

What should the modern finance organization look like?

Which finance and accounting roles become more valuable as automation increases?

What skills will define the next generation of CFOs and finance executives?

How do we build finance teams that are both agile and resilient?

These are no longer future-state questions. They are challenges finance leaders must address today.

At Merraine, we see these conversations happening across growth-stage companies, private equity-backed businesses, and established enterprises alike. The organizations that succeed will be those that embrace innovation while continuing to invest in exceptional leadership talent.

Thank you to PwC, Nasdaq MarketSite, and everyone who joined us during NY Tech Week. The future of finance may be powered by technology, but it will always be led by people.