Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

After decades of hope for change, finance leaders have begun adopting AI-native tools to automate workflows and eliminate manual processes in cash planning, spend management, billing and collections.

Why it matters: More efficient reporting gives finance teams a real-time view of their business and frees them up to focus on more strategic work.

The big picture: Historically, finance teams have slogged through spreadsheets and monolithic ERPs, but today's AI-native tools automate reconciliation, accelerate month-end close and turbocharge forecasting.

• Now, investors and buyers alike are betting that AI may finally deliver improved accounting and treasury workflows, after decades of hopes and dreams.
• Most vendors start in the mid-market, where ERPs are lighter and sales cycles are faster, before scaling up to the enterprise once their AI agents prove they can bolt onto heavier stacks without disruption.

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