CFOs Boost AI Spend, Ease Cost Cuts – Grant Thornton Survey

The latest quarterly survey of chief financial officers conducted by Grant Thornton in the United States paints a clear picture: technology investment is no longer a discretionary line item. Sixty‑eight percent of respondents say they expect IT and digital‑transformation spending to rise over the next twelve months, the highest proportion recorded in the study’s 21‑quarter history.

Even as macro‑economic signals remain mixed, finance leaders are allocating capital to tools they believe will drive growth, improve efficiency, and secure a competitive edge. “Companies can’t afford to treat AI as optional,” warned Paul Melville, Chief Growth Officer at Grant Thornton Advisors LLC. “And investment alone isn’t enough. You need to deliver ROI.”

The survey, which gathered input from more than 230 senior finance professionals across a broad cross‑section of industries, shows that CFOs are moving beyond exploratory pilots. Their focus is on practical, revenue‑generating AI use cases that can be measured against profit targets.

AI as a Growth Engine, Not Just a Cost Saver

Historically, many finance departments have leaned on technology to trim expenses—automating routine processes, consolidating legacy systems, and reducing headcount. This cycle appears to be reversing. While 72 percent of CFOs now anticipate a net‑profit increase in the coming year, only 62 percent express confidence that they will meet their technology objectives. The gap points to a lingering concern: data quality, system fragmentation, and other technical constraints could blunt the anticipated return on AI projects.

Raul Vega, a partner in Grant Thornton’s Advisory practice and CEO of its subsidiary Auxis, summed up the challenge: “If you have a complex technology environment with inconsistent data quality it becomes very challenging to realize value from your program. AI needs good data, compatible systems and effective knowledge management.”

Despite these hurdles, the majority of finance leaders see AI as a catalyst for top‑line expansion rather than a pure cost‑avoidance tool. The survey shows that 72 percent of respondents expect profit growth, up from 68 percent in the previous quarter, suggesting that AI‑driven productivity is being linked directly to revenue outcomes.

Cost‑Cutting Takes a Back Seat

The same data set reveals a notable shift in traditional cost‑discipline tactics. Only 28 percent of CFOs plan to implement cost reductions—a figure that eclipses the previous high of 18 percent recorded in Q4 2024. Expected cuts to consulting spend, vendor contracts, and human‑capital budgets have all softened, with consulting reductions hitting a 15‑quarter low.

Mike Desmond, Audit Growth Leader at Grant Thornton LLP, described the trend as “intentional.” He noted that finance chiefs are balancing short‑term profitability pressures with longer‑term strategic investments. “They have today’s cost and profitability pressures, but they’re also focused on the investments needed to drive value in the future,” he said.

The reluctance to slash costs aligns with another survey finding: layoff expectations remain muted. CFOs appear willing to retain—or even expand—staff to support AI‑enabled growth, especially in sales and product support functions where new skill sets are required. Dana Lance, national Tax leader for Solutions and Growth at Grant Thornton Advisors LLC, explained, “To deliver growth, AI‑driven productivity often requires investments in people for sales and product support where the existing headcount does not have the requisite skillset for the work.”

Outsourcing Gains Traction as Talent Gaps Widen

Talent shortages are emerging as a parallel driver of finance‑function transformation. More than half of the finance leaders surveyed (54 percent) anticipate persistent challenges in attracting and retaining skilled staff over the next six months. In response, 64 percent of organizations are either already using or actively evaluating off‑shoring or near‑shoring models for finance operations, while only 36 percent intend to keep a fully U.S.-based workforce.

Cost reduction remains a factor—just over one‑third of respondents cite it as the primary outsourcing benefit—but a clear majority (66 percent) point to strategic motives such as scalability, access to specialized talent, and technology enablement. When asked to rank the top outsourcing advantages, respondents chose:

cost reduction (34 percent)
scalability and process standardization (22 percent)
access to talent (19 percent)
technology and AI enablement (17 percent)
the ability to focus internally on higher‑value activities (10 percent)

Vega highlighted the evolution: “Outsourcing used to be something only large organizations pursued, but it is increasingly becoming the de facto model across the board. Today, companies are turning to outsourcing to access specialized talent, support higher‑complexity work and accelerate innovation — not simply to reduce costs.”

Near‑Shoring Takes the Lead Over Off‑Shoring

Geographic considerations are also changing. While off‑shoring has traditionally dominated, a larger share of firms (17 percent) are now evaluating near‑shore locations compared with 13 percent looking at off‑shore options. Moreover, the pullback on existing offshore operations is more pronounced—7 percent of respondents plan to scale back offshore activities versus only 2 percent who intend to reduce near‑shore footprints.

When selecting an outsourcing destination, real‑time collaboration (61 percent) and the capacity to handle complex processes (95 percent) are emerging as decisive factors. This shift suggests that finance leaders are prioritizing operational agility and expertise over pure cost arbitrage.

Expanding the Scope of Outsourced Services

Outsourcing partners are no longer limited to basic bookkeeping or accounts payable. The survey indicates a growing appetite for end‑to‑end solutions that encompass accounting, collections, exception management, reporting, and financial planning and analysis. Enhanced technology platforms are also opening doors for outsourced compliance functions, further broadening the value proposition for finance teams seeking to off‑load non‑core activities.

Consumer Affordability Pressures Reshape Pricing Strategies

Affordability concerns are reverberating across the broader economy, and CFOs are feeling the impact. Fifty‑seven percent of respondents say that price sensitivity among customers has risen in their sector, while a striking 84 percent report having passed at least some cost increases onto buyers over the past year.

At the same time, inflation continues to erode margins, prompting nearly six in ten CFOs to revamp cost‑efficiency practices within the last twelve months. Rather than choosing between protecting margins and maintaining affordability, many finance chiefs are turning to AI‑driven analytics, dynamic pricing models, and segmented pricing strategies.

Only 16 percent of organizations have fully implemented advanced pricing strategies, but an additional 35 percent are in the process of rolling them out more broadly. Melville summed up the strategic balancing act: “AI and productivity improvements are helping companies protect margins while remaining responsive to customer price sensitivity. The most effective pricing strategies are rooted in value, not just cost recovery. If the pricing needs to go up, CFO need to articulate the additional value that’s being delivered in association with that rise in price.”

Outlook: A New Era for the Finance Function

The Grant Thornton Q1 2026 CFO survey suggests that finance leaders are redefining the traditional cost‑centric playbook. By earmarking record budgets for AI and digital transformation, easing up on cost‑cutting, and embracing outsourcing as a talent‑and‑technology solution, CFOs are positioning their organizations to compete in an increasingly data‑driven marketplace.

The challenge ahead will be translating these ambitious spend plans into measurable outcomes. As Vega cautioned, the success of AI initiatives hinges on the quality of underlying data and the interoperability of legacy systems. Finance executives who can align technology spend with clear ROI metrics—and who can navigate the talent shortages through strategic outsourcing—are likely to emerge as the most resilient players in the post‑pandemic economy.

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