Technology
Meta’s accounting chief shares how he’s working toward continuous close
Meta is facing pressure on multiple fronts: a $16.7 billion settlement with California and 51 state attorneys general, organizational restructuring amid AI transformation, and the reality that its core advertising business has not yet adopted large language models at scale. Against this backdrop, Chief Accounting Officer Aaron Anderson introduced quantifiable results already achieved by the finance department—reducing close time from 7 days to 6 days with AI-driven variance analysis—and elaborated on how to prudently introduce agentic AI in a SOX-controlled environment, including collaboration frameworks with Google, Walmart, ServiceNow, and the Big Four accounting firms, as well as the critical constraints that data foundations place on AI applications.
Beyond efficiency: How finance leaders are multiplying AI’s real ROI
For most financial leaders, AI's early promise—doing more with less—has largely been fulfilled. But entering 2026, the conversation has shifted to how to accurately measure AI's return on investment (ROI) and what to do once efficiency gains arrive. AvidXchange's 2026 Finance Trends Survey shows that 42% of financial leaders cite 'faster work or handling more volume in the same time' as the top return, 39% mention improved accuracy and fewer errors, and 35% attribute it to better decision-making. More importantly, 44% of companies reinvest AI gains into new technology or automation, while another 44% use them to strengthen data security and compliance. The survey also finds that 79% of respondents are confident in achieving maximum AI ROI. The article proposes three key actions for measuring and amplifying ROI: defining AI goals, setting metrics before deployment, and investing in employee adoption. Efficiency is just the starting point; strategic value is the end goal.
How the U.S. has avoided a recession over the last 5 years
The US economy has not experienced a prolonged recession in nearly five years, with the wealth concentration and consumption resilience of the baby boomer generation considered important reasons. This article is based on a speech at the 2026 summit of the Illinois CPA Society, analyzing the relationship between demographic structure and economic cycles.
Hippo Insurance CFO’s bid to wake up a ‘sleepy’ industry
Guy Zeltser became CFO of Hippo Insurance in March 2025. He is committed to driving the modernization of this home insurance company, emphasizing the importance of profitable growth and underwriting discipline. In an exclusive interview, he shares his views on inflation, measuring the value of AI tools, and high-risk markets like California.
Private equity swaps software for energy: Cherry Bekaert
According to Cherry Bekaert's semi-annual report, private equity deal value in the software industry declined sharply in the first half of 2026, while the energy sector saw significant growth driven by AI infrastructure demand.
Definition of ‘AI company’ is fast growing more inclusive
According to BestBrokers, 218 S&P 500 companies (43.3%) are directly exposed to AI, representing over 62% of the index's market cap. Core AI firms are only 11.5%, while AI-linked companies (31.8%) provide infrastructure, components, or integrated AI. The report highlights the broadening definition of 'AI company'.
OpenAI Financial AI Demo Raises Governance Concerns, Audience Questions Left Unanswered
In a recent webinar, OpenAI demonstrated how its finance team uses AI to improve efficiency, but repeated questions from participants about governance, security, and control were not directly addressed during the Q&A session. This phenomenon reflects a core obstacle in AI adoption within the finance sector: before automated forecasting and accelerated book closing, financial leaders are more concerned with foundational issues such as data storage, access permissions, control execution, and SOX compliance. Although the demonstration emphasized speed and collaboration, the absence of governance may become a critical bottleneck for scaling AI applications.
Sony's Digital Transformation Sparks Public Debate: CFO Communication Strategy in Focus
Sony plans to cease production of PlayStation physical game discs in January 2028, sparking player petitions, boycotts, and widespread criticism. CFO Lin Tao addressed the controversy during the July 31 earnings call, emphasizing the trend of digital transformation while acknowledging players' emotional concerns. Financial data shows digital revenue far exceeds physical, yet players' attachment to physical discs cannot be overlooked. Industry experts point out that CFOs now face new challenges in explaining strategic decisions to the broader public, requiring a balance between empathy and data.
CleanSpark CFO on Transition from Bitcoin Mining to AI Data Centers
CleanSpark is advancing its biggest strategic bet in history: developing a 175 MW AI data center campus in Sandersville, Georgia, with a 20-year, $6.6 billion lease signed with an unnamed global technology company. In an exclusive interview, President and CFO Gary Vecchiarelli reflected on the journey of rebuilding the finance organization since taking over in 2021, explained why AI is a natural extension of the company's power asset portfolio, and shared insights gained amid the dramatic transformation of the Bitcoin mining industry.
Data Delays Cause 57% of Finance Executives to Miss Strategic Opportunities
An exclusive Intuit survey found that 57% of finance executives missed strategic actions in the past six months due to delayed financial data, with only 14% using same-day data for major decisions. Data silos and manual processes remain major obstacles, with a single data source serving as a dividing line between high-growth companies and their peers.