Finance and procurement teams are preparing for a massive shift toward AI adoption, with 86% planning to implement or scale AI initiatives by 2026, according to research released by Tropic.
"Finance leaders aren't just talking about AI anymore. They're budgeting for it," says Russell Lester, CFO at Tropic. "Our new research shows that 53% of finance leaders expect AI to influence their 2026 budget and planning priorities and 49% plan to or have already reallocated software and budget towards AI tools. At Tropic, we've been building toward this moment for over a year. What we're announcing today represents the maturation of our AI platform into a complete workforce that actually delivers the productivity gains teams have been promised."
Key takeaways:
· With 50% reporting they’re at the beginning of their AI transformation, Tropic's survey of 100 finance leaders reveals 2026 will be an inflection point, with nearly half of organizations already reallocating budgets from existing software tools to fund AI initiatives operational efficiency.
· The survey found that 66% of finance leaders cite operational efficiency as their primary motivation for AI investment across the business, far outpacing competitive pressure or executive mandates.
· However, early results remain mixed. While 73% report AI has somewhat improved their team's productivity, only 4% cite significant gains.
· Results drive adoption among teams using AI today; 42% report faster process cycle times, and 30% cite cost savings. However, 47% of leaders say proven ROI remains the top requirement for scaling AI initiatives.
· While 50% report they’re at the beginning of their AI journey, only 5% report broad AI deployment today, but 86% plan to implement or scale by 2026.
· 61% are currently allocating less than 10% of software spend to AI but 86% expect software budgets to grow in 2026 to support AI; 49% are beginning to reallocate funds from existing tools or will in 2026.
· Operational efficiency outranks all other motivations for AI investment, cited by 66% of respondents as their driving force.
· While 73% report AI has somewhat improved their team’s productivity or decision-making, only 4% report significant gains. Given most respondents are still at the beginning of their AI journey, this makes sense and as adoption increases, so will ROI.
· 47% of leaders say proven ROI is the top requirement for scaling AI initiatives.
