AI promises a transformative future for the enterprise back-office: Invoices fix themselves on their self-directed path to approval request. Contracts enforce their own terms. Exceptions resolve automatically — escalating to a human only when needed.

This isn’t just theory. The technology is already there. But only 4% of finance leaders say they’re maturing and scaling their use of AI.

Because most finance teams are locked out — not by technology, but by dependence on IT.

When simple updates like adjusting a price tolerance require IT tickets and months of waiting, finance teams create manual workarounds. Leaders are stuck supervising broken systems instead of orchestrating intelligent ones, bleeding cash and credibility as business units like sales, marketing, and even HR move forward with impactful AI solutions.

The good news:
You don’t have to wait for IT. You don’t need a new ERP. And you don’t need a corporate AI center of excellence to start unlocking value.

You just need a foothold — one tactical move to start regaining control.

Here’s how to get started.

1. Identify the complexity sinks

Most manual procedures in finance aren’t accidents. They’re deliberate workarounds — patches laid over systems where fixing the root cause takes longer and costs more than adding headcount.

These are your complexity sinks — hidden pools of wasted effort and lost time.

How to spot them? Look for instances where:

• Specialists routinely “swivel chair” between systems, manually keying and looking up data
• “Automated” processes still generate hundreds or thousands of exception cases that require human intervention
• Operational KPIs (like cycle times and cost per invoice) stay stubbornly flat, even after major improvement efforts

These types of complexity sinks are your clearest footholds for using AI to reclaim time, cut costs, and demonstrate that finance doesn't have to wait for IT to lead change.

2. Build islands of autonomy

Finding the right opportunity is step one. Step two is creating the space to act on it.

Carve out focused areas where finance teams can start applying AI safely, quickly, and independently.

How to get started:

• Pick a recurring process (or part of one) your team already owns end-to-end — like internal audits, account reconciliations, or cash application
• Compile the data and documents required for the process
• Research best practices for LLM prompts (including asking the LLM directly)
• Use an LLM’s chat interface to complete the manual and repetitive tasks within the process

Two quick-win examples:

• Non-PO invoice audit: AI flags any invoices that may be out of compliance with the contracts that govern them by comparing terms to invoice line items
• Cash application: AI extracts and matches data from PDF bank statements and/or remittance advice received from customers

When finance controls the experiment, wins come faster — and credibility grows.

3. Grow fluency, not headcount

Building AI pilots is important. But building AI fluency inside your finance team is what unlocks compounding returns.

The goal isn’t to add new AI specialists. It’s to equip your subject matter experts — the ones who already know your policies, risks, and cash flow intricacies — with simple tools and the freedom to experiment.

How to plant the seeds:

• Designate a small “AI lab” inside finance with two or three motivated team members to test new ideas
• Start in low-risk, high-impact areas that already have controls and human judgement baked in
• Measure success by iteration speed — how fast your team can identify a problem, build a prototype, and deploy a solution.

Why it matters:
AI fluency is about gaining operational and organizational leverage. Teams that build fluency now will lead the transformation, not chase it.

Building momentum, not just prototypes

The next generation of finance operations will be built by the finance teams who start claiming ground with AI today.

Early action is about reclaiming control, creating operational leverage, and shaping the systems your teams will run for the next decade.

Small wins compound. A single foothold turns into a platform for broader transformation — faster processes, smarter decisions, and stronger influence across the enterprise.

Those who hesitate will end up running systems they didn’t design, and footing the bill for every limitation they inherit.

The shift is already underway. Where you land tomorrow depends on where you start today.

Ready to secure your AI foothold?

Book a 30-minute strategy session with CoPlane’s founders and walk away with a 30-day action plan your team — not IT — can start executing immediately. Email [email protected].