Let’s skip the fluff: 2025 isn’t about dipping toes in the water. It’s about jumping in, fully clothed, and figuring out how to swim with AI, cybersecurity sharks, and a blockchain comeback all circling your budget. The CFO seat has never been hotter, and neither has your influence.

Here’s what the smartest finance leaders are eyeing this year. Buckle up.

49% of CFOs Are Replacing Human Labor with AI. Are You Still Waiting for a Memo?

Let’s talk about being a fast follower. Deloitte’s Steve Gallucci says it best: most CFOs are interested in generative AI but are moving cautiously, trying to dodge hallucinations and inaccuracies. Boards are skeptical. CFOs want clarity. So the strategy? Wait, watch, and follow the winners.

But guess what? The clock is ticking. A March 2024 survey shows 24% of CFOs have already deployed automation tools that replaced human labor. Another 25% are planning to in the next year. That’s nearly half the market moving now, not someday.

Still on the fence? Here’s the bigger risk: letting your data pile up, your teams fall behind, and your competition snap up productivity gains while you’re waiting for “version 2.0.”

Agentic AI Isn’t Coming, It’s Here, and It’s Smarter Than Your Analyst

Generative AI got your AP/AR humming. Great. Now meet its more ambitious cousin: Agentic AI, the version that doesn’t just respond, it thinks, asks, and acts. Chris Ortega breaks it down: this is about AI that independently reasons through company data, market shifts, and macroeconomic signals to suggest strategic plays. Forget dashboards. Think co-pilot.

And yes, it’s already market-ready. So much so that Salesforce is hiring thousands of human reps just to sell AgentForce, their agentic AI sales bot. Wrap your head around that: a chatbot that could replace a salesperson, being sold by real salespeople. CFOs, take note: your peers won’t wait for finance use cases—they’ll build around them.

72% of Execs Are Fighting Deepfakes with Culture, Not Tech. Are You?

Cybersecurity in 2025 is less about firewalls and more about fraud IQ. From phishing scams powered by generative AI to deepfakes tricking your procurement team, the threat landscape is a circus, and CFOs are on the high wire.

Only 7% of execs surveyed use new tech to detect deepfakes, but the smarter majority? They’re focused on people-first strategies:

• 22% are driving internal communications about emerging threats.
  
• 19% are using role-playing and training.
  
• 11% are updating fraud-handling policies.

Still, 10% of companies are doing nothing. Don’t be in that bucket. Glenn Hopper from Eventus said it best: “This makes CFOs want to throw their hands up, but that’s the wrong approach. No one leader can solve this. It takes collaboration, culture, and guts.”

Crypto’s Back and This Time, It’s Got a Seat at the CFO Table

Crypto and blockchain didn’t die—they just rebranded. Now in 2025, with a federal crypto task force in action and SaaS platforms quietly integrating blockchain tech, CFOs need to shake off the 2022 hangover and pay attention.

The resurgence of blockchain isn’t about hype—it’s about use cases. Think transparent supply chains, instant settlements, and smart contracts; you don’t have to babysit. Bitcoin as a payment method is no longer fringe, it’s strategic.

If you’re not monitoring the second wave of “Web3,” someone in your org already is, and you might be the last to know.

So, What’s Your 90-Day Tech Bet?

2025 is not about boiling the ocean. It’s about sharp bets, fast feedback, and owning the finance-tech conversation. You don’t need to be first. But you sure as hell can’t be last.

So, what trend are you going to test first? Agentic AI? Culture-first fraud protection? A blockchain-backed finance workflow?

The question isn’t if these changes hit your P&L—it’s when.

Ready to talk strategy? Let’s dive in.