Finance leaders are measuring AI ROI in new ways this year. It used to be more about efficiency: saving time, doing more with less. But now AI is becoming a bigger part of how finance teams contribute to business growth.
McKinsey found that leading organizations are using AI to improve forecasting, monitor working capital in real time, uncover cost-saving opportunities, and speed up reporting—turning finance into a more strategic business partner.
And AvidXchange’s 2026 Trends Survey reflected this trend: 42% of finance leaders reported that AI tools have helped their teams complete work faster. But rather than letting the ROI stop there, many are reinvesting those gains into additional technology and automation (44%), strengthening security and compliance (44%), and even expanding the business (32%).
Key Takeaways
- Efficiency is still the biggest return on investment. According to AvidXchange’s 2026 Trends Survey, 42% of finance leaders say AI helps their teams complete work faster or accomplish more in the same amount of time.
- But AI ROI is expanding beyond just hours saved. Leading finance teams are using AI to improve forecasting, decision-making, accuracy, and long-term business growth.
- Finance leaders are confident AI can deliver results. Of our survey respondents, 79% are confident their organization can achieve maximum ROI from its AI investments.
- High-performing organizations are reinvesting their AI gains. Many finance teams are reinvesting their AI ROI in additional automation (44%), strengthening security and compliance (44%), and expanding the business (32%).
- Maximizing AI ROI requires ongoing measurement. Identify clear use cases, track business outcomes, and continually build on what works to maximize your AI ROI.
What is AI ROI?
AI ROI measures whether an organization’s investment in AI is creating meaningful business value. While that value is often measured in time or cost savings, it can also include better forecasting, fewer errors, stronger compliance, and better decision-making.
Finance leaders are becoming increasingly confident they’ll see those returns. In AvidXchange’s 2026 Trends Survey, 79% said they are confident their organization can achieve maximum ROI from its AI investments.
The organizations seeing the greatest AI ROI aren’t treating AI as a one-time technology investment. They’re identifying the right opportunities, measuring the results, and reinvesting those gains to create even more value.
What Types of ROI are Businesses Seeing from AI Tools?
AI ROI looks different for every organization, but a few benefits consistently rise to the top. According to AvidXchange’s 2026 Trends Survey, finance leaders are seeing the greatest returns in efficiency, decision-making, and accuracy.
How does AI improve efficiency?
For many finance teams, the first return on investment from AI is getting more done in less time. AI can automate repetitive tasks like invoice coding, data entry, document classification, and report generation, allowing employees to focus on higher-value work that requires human judgment.
According to AvidXchange’s 2026 Trends Survey, 42% of finance leaders said AI has improved efficiency by helping their teams complete work faster or handle more work within the same timeframe. Those productivity gains can create capacity for finance teams to focus on strategic initiatives instead of routine administrative work.
How does AI help finance teams make better decisions?
AI can analyze large amounts of financial data. This helps finance leaders identify trends, spot anomalies, and improve forecasting.
In our survey, 35% of finance leaders said AI has delivered ROI through better decision-making driven by faster or deeper data insights. Instead of spending time gathering information, finance teams can spend more time acting on it.
How does AI reduce errors?
Whether it’s entering data incorrectly, processing duplicate invoices, or overlooking discrepancies—manual finance processes often leave room for mistakes. That’s why finance leaders are turning to AI to reduce human error. According to our survey, 39% of finance leaders reported improved accuracy or fewer errors as one of the biggest returns from their AI investments.
How Should Finance Leaders Measure and Track AI ROI?
Understanding that AI ROI can be delayed, consider these tips to help manage stakeholder expectations and create an action plan within your organization.
1. Identify use cases
Rather than looking for a single AI project, Twisha Sharma at Gartner recommends building a portfolio of AI initiatives. That portfolio can include routine use cases that automate repetitive work, more advanced use cases that improve analysis and decision-making, and larger transformational initiatives that drive innovation.
According to AvidXchange’s 2026 Trends Survey, 41% of organizations increasing AI investment in 2026 say their primary goal is improving operational efficiency and productivity, while 27% are prioritizing better data analysis and decision-making.
2. Create a timeline
Not every AI investment delivers ROI on the same schedule. Sharma at Gartner recommends treating AI as a portfolio of different use cases, rather than expecting every initiative to follow the same ROI timeline. Productivity-focused projects may deliver value quickly, while decision support and transformational initiatives can take longer to demonstrate measurable business impact.
3. Focus on incremental progress
Incremental improvements can lead to large gains over time. Tracking small, manageable steps toward a larger goal allows for regular feedback and adjustments.
Organizations can define specific metrics they want to measure and ask teams to track them. For instance, if time savings is a key metric, the organization might request that individuals record each instance when using AI leads to saved time.
Some other potential metrics finance teams can track include:
- Number of errors
- Processing time
- Forecast accuracy
- Speed of financial reporting
- Cost savings
- Working capital or cash flow improvements
- Compliance/risk management issue reduction
- Customer or supplier satisfaction
- Adoption rate
- Increased business scalability
4. Invest in training
The World Economic Forum suggests organizations should consider supporting AI adoption with employee training programs to help boost ROI.
How are Finance Teams Reinvesting AI Productivity Gains?
Most finance teams no longer question whether AI can improve efficiency. The conversation has shifted toward what comes next.
AvidXchange’s latest Trends Survey found that among finance departments seeing ROI from AI, many are reinvesting those productivity gains into broader business priorities rather than simply reducing costs. The most common investments include:
- 44% are investing in additional technology or automation.
- 44% are strengthening data security and compliance.
- 33% are enhancing employee benefits and salaries.
- 32% are expanding the business into new markets, locations, or services.
- 35% are investing in new products or service lines.
AI is becoming less about replacing work and more about creating capacity for finance teams to support long-term growth.
Next Step: Turn AI Into Business Value
The organizations seeing the greatest AI ROI are identifying new use cases, measuring results, and reinvesting those gains into the business.
That’s why AI ROI is moving past efficiency and time saved. In 2026, it’s also measured by how AI helps finance teams make better decisions, improve operations, and create new opportunities for growth.
Next, download The Ultimate Guide to AI in Finance to explore real-world use cases, implementation best practices, and practical strategies for maximizing the value of AI across your finance organization.