IBM Study: 60% of CFOs Now Oversee AI and Tech Strategy

More than six in 10 chief financial officers report their responsibilities have expanded into enterprise technology and artificial intelligence strategy, according to an IBM study published October 2026. The findings signal AI investment decisions are shifting toward finance chiefs as capital allocation becomes a central corporate priority. Neil Dhar, senior vice president of IBM Consulting, said AI is "a capital allocation issue," requiring CFOs to determine where and how to deploy funds and when to scale back. A separate Deloitte report found 54% of finance leaders now lead cross-enterprise AI capital allocation, while 48% oversee AI spending and cost controls. IBM found finance teams are building AI capabilities faster than they are redesigning workflows around the technology. Only 6% of surveyed finance organizations said they are transformation-ready. Organizations led by "AI-first CFOs" posted revenue growth rates 23% higher than peers from 2022 to 2024, IBM said.