New study finds AI readiness tapers off considerably from students to senior finance professionals, exposing a key AI skills gap at a time when AI-driven Finance is critical to growth

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. , May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- OneStream, the leading enterprise finance management platform that modernizes the Office of the CFO by unifying core finance and operational functions – including financial close, consolidation, reporting, planning and forecasting, today announced the results of a new study examining corporate finance as a career path and how AI is shaping the future of the field. The study, which polled a total of 2,504 respondents (including corporate finance professionals and college students studying finance across the US and the UK), reveals that while AI and other technologies are becoming integral to the field, AI experience levels, skills gaps and cross-generational divides are emerging pressure points for organizations today.

Specifically, the study found that two-thirds (66%) of current corporate financial professionals report they use AI at work currently. Eighty-six percent of all respondents (including current professionals and students) believe they will use AI tools at least somewhat often in their careers, with one-third (33%) expecting to rely on AI tools significantly. While today's graduates have grown up immersed in technology, real-world use cases for AI in finance remain unclear, and confidence levels vary. Only 57% of current finance professionals think new hires should be required to have tech skills in addition to core accounting capabilities, and one in 10 (11%) wish they had AI and machine learning skills when starting their own career.

Yet, as AI becomes ubiquitous, the study also uncovered a stark drop in AI skills readiness and confidence as careers advance. 89% of finance students say they have enough experience with AI to use it in their work. However, just 54% of finance professionals with 10+ years experience, and 63% of young finance professionals say the same. Further, over half (57%) of current finance professionals say a generational technology divide is a pain point within their organizations. Of those acknowledging a tech divide exists, the AI skills gap (44%), the pace of technology changes (44%), and attitudes towards AI replacing tasks (40%) are top contributes to this gap.

"Today's news tells us that Finance teams are navigating skills gaps, AI readiness and battling burnout – all while facing more pressure than ever to forecast faster, identify risks sooner, and work smarter," said Tom Shea, CEO of OneStream. "The next generation of finance professionals are entering the field with optimism and a drive for innovation. They need the right technology to close these gaps and equip their teams with the tools, insights, and confidence to lead strategically in a rapidly evolving environment."

The Future of Finance: Mind the "AI & Gender" Gap

When it comes to building the next generation of finance leaders, the data revealed that women corporate finance professionals are trailing their male counterparts in AI and technology adoption, despite an eagerness to incorporate the technology into their work. Men already report using AI at a higher frequency than women in the workplace, with 71% of men saying they rely on AI at least somewhat often versus 61% of women.

When looking at young finance professionals (those with less than 10 years of experience), only 56% of young women feel prepared to use AI, versus 69% of young men. Notably, 30% of young women also say automation and AI will be the most significant challenge facing their career over the next ten years.

The gender divide holds true for students that will make up the next generation of finance professionals. Among current finance students, only 12% of female students expect to rely heavily on AI, versus 68% of male students. Additionally, 91% of male student respondents expect to use AI at least somewhat in their careers, compared to 81% of their female peers. This gap in expectations mirrors a gap in experience: only 65% of female finance students report feeling they have enough experience with AI to use it at work, compared to 93% of male students.

Great Expectations versus the Reality of a Finance Career

Amid an uncertain economic backdrop, a career in finance holds strong appeal. Across all respondents, the top motivators for pursuing a career in finance include job stability (63%), high salary (57%), and a clear roadmap for career growth (55%).

Despite alignment on career appeal, perception gaps persist around workload and burnout. Nearly four in five (79%) students expect to work less than 40 hours per week, only 15% have a negative perception that a career path in finance comes with working long hours, and only 16% associate a finance career with burnout.

Meanwhile, current finance professionals paint a different reality for the field. Fifty-eight percent say they work 40 hours or more per week, and 57% have experienced burnout firsthand. In fact, when asked to identify top reasons for turnover on their teams, financial professionals cited work-life balance issues (44%) and burnout (35%).

Only half (51%) of current professionals said they believe new graduates are prepared for the realities of finance jobs – but the study also provided a blueprint for their success. Current professionals say the most crucial skills for today's new hires include technical acumen (22%), strong work ethic (21%), and business strategy and problem solving (20%).

"As the next generation enters the workforce in an era of rapid AI adoption, there's a growing disconnect between what new talent expects and what the job actually demands," said Pam McIntyre, SVP, Corporate Controller, OneStream. "If we want to keep great people in Finance, we need to equip them with the right skills to thrive. That means investing in early training programs and adopting modern Finance practices that will free up professionals to focus on strategic decisions that drive the business forward."

Survey Methodology

The findings are the results of an online study of 2,504 respondents. The respondents include corporate finance professionals and current students studying finance located in the US and the UK. The study was fielded from March 24 to April 21, 2025.

About OneStream

OneStream is how today's Finance teams can go beyond just reporting on the past and Take Finance Further by steering the business to the future. It's the leading enterprise finance platform that unifies financial and operational data, embeds AI for better decisions and productivity, and empowers the CFO to become a critical driver of business strategy and execution.

We deliver a comprehensive cloud-based platform to modernize the Office of the CFO. Our Digital Finance Cloud unifies core financial and broader operational data and processes and embeds AI for better planning and forecasting, with an extensible architecture, so customers can adopt and develop new solutions, achieving greater value as their business needs evolve.

With over 1,600 customers, including 17% of the Fortune 500, more than 300 go-to-market, implementation, and development partners and over 1,500 employees, our vision is to be the operating system for modern finance. To learn more, visit onestream.com.

Contacts

MEDIA CONTACT
Jaclyn Proctor
Media Relations Contact
OneStream
media@onestreamsoftware.com

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SOURCE OneStream, Inc.