All 2026 Conference Sessions

How to Win When AI is Changing (and Breaking) Everything

Speakers:

• Clement Christensen, Sr. Director Analyst
• Tamara Shipley, VP Analyst at Gartner

Key takeaways

• With a new technology like AI entering the economy, gains are asymmetrically distributed. As such, breakaway firms are positioning themselves for breakaway performance, while others may soon be left behind. 
• Invest for upside, not just efficiency: Breakaway firms focus AI investments on opportunities that drive new products, markets and revenue streams, not just cost savings. 
• Make knowledge machine-readable: Transforming expertise and processes into formats that AI can understand, such as knowledge graphs or engineered prompts, creates tangible, reusable assets. This approach ensures that critical knowledge is accessible to both people and machines, fueling future innovation.
• Use governance to accelerate, not just control: Effective AI governance acts as scaffolding, providing clear guidance and reusable frameworks that speed up safe adoption and innovation. 
• Architect a frictionless AI supply chain:  Breakaway firms systematically remove barriers in data management and decision-making processes, enabling AI to deliver value quickly and at scale. Upgrading data infrastructure and streamlining access ensures that both humans and machines can act on insights without unnecessary delays.
• Democratize technology skills: Breakaway firms target a high percentage of “digital talent,” ensuring that innovation is not limited to IT specialists but is an organization-wide capability.

Trends in the Finance Technology Market for 2026

Speakers:

• Nick Duffy, Sr. Director Analyst at Gartner

Key takeaways

• CFOs continue to prioritize cloud ERP adoption and integration, as it enables scalable automation, embeds AI agents, and supports faster, data-driven decision-making across finance.

• Invest in intelligent automation and generative AI solutions to streamline routine tasks, enhance analytics, and shift finance teams toward higher-value advisory work.

• Deploy conversational AI tools like virtual assistants and chatbots, to automate routine inquiries, improve employee engagement, and provide real-time support for both finance and non-finance users.

• Shift investment toward accounts receivable and predictive analytics. Focus on AR solutions that leverage AI for cash flow forecasting and collections, while maintaining process efficiency in AP through automation and anomaly detection.

• Evaluate emerging technologies with a critical, value-driven lens. Continuously assess the adoption, value, and future investment potential of new tools, such as embedded AI and blockchain, to ensure your technology roadmap aligns with strategic priorities and delivers measurable results.

Smarter Funding Models for AI Investment and Strategic Growth

Speakers:

• Nisha Bhandare, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner

Key takeaways

• Move beyond traditional project-based funding: AI investments require flexible, adaptive funding models due to their unpredictable nature. 

• Tailor funding models to maturity and strategic value: Use value stream funding for mature, efficiency-driven projects; product-centric funding for evolving, high-potential AI products; and block funding for experimental, disruptive ideas. 

• Continuously monitor and adjust funding: CFOs should establish regular review cadences and pivot funding strategies based on performance signals.
   
  
• Educate and align stakeholders on AI-specific funding frameworks: Socialize the importance of tailored funding models across the C-suite and ensure teams use the four decision criteria for every new AI funding request: 1) Strategic value 2) Implementation approach 3) Predictability of outcome 4) Cost volatility.

Navigate Economic Uncertainty With Adaptive Scenario Planning

Speakers:

• Sid Sahoo, Sr. Director Analyst at Gartner

Key takeaways

• Deploy a new approach to scenario planning: Static, internally focused models cannot keep pace with the rapid shifts in external drivers, such as  tariffs, geopolitical risks, and technology changes that organizations face today.

• Adopt adaptive, driver-based scenario planning for greater agility: Finance teams should build scenario models around both internal and external business drivers, prioritizing those with the greatest impact on performance.

• Leverage technology to automate scenario modeling: 50% of finance teams still build models in Excel. Instead, they must integrate financial, operational, and external data directly into modern planning tools to streamline scenario creation and model updates.

• Implement trigger-based reviews for responsive decision-making: Move away from fixed, calendar-based reviews to monitoring for specific triggers, like shifts in market share or major cost changes, that prompt immediate scenario reassessment and action.

Designing the AI-Ready Accounting Function

Speakers: 

• Hilary Richards, VP Analyst at Gartner

Key takeaways

• Extend AI-ready accounting into automated, continuous processes: In an AI-ready function, most accounting activities, from reconciliation, to adjustment and financial reporting, are driven by machines, enabling a continuous or on-demand close.

• Recognize digital talent and upskilling as essential:  By 2030, 90% of finance talent will need digital skills, with accountants expected to build, manage and optimize technology tools. 

• Embrace new accounting roles and team structure: New technology-first roles — such as model builders and AI investigators — will be needed to develop, monitor and improve AI systems.

• Evolve controllers into finance information orchestrators: Controllers must lead technology adoption and partner closely with IT and upstream data sources, focusing on data flow, system integration and technology acceptance.

• Accelerate AI adoption through hands-on experimentation and tailored upskilling: This approach helps employees apply AI to real work challenges and  supports career growth.

Align Finance Technology Investments with Organizational Strategy

Speakers:

• Marcus X. Marion, Sr. Director Analyst at Gartner

Key takeaways

• Lead technology decisions with business outcomes, not tools: Start by defining the outcomes finance must deliver, such as profitability, liquidity, and decision velocity, and anchor technology investments to those goals.

• Use finance capabilities as the connector between strategy and technology by mapping and prioritizing the finance capabilities needed to achieve outcomes.

• Evaluate systems across outcome alignment, architecture readiness, and economic sustainability to identify gaps to avoid technology drift and misalignment. 

• Allocate resources differently for core, differentiated, and innovative capabilities, prioritizing reliability for core, competitive advantage for differentiated, and time-boxed experimentation for innovation. 

• Finance and IT leaders should use capability maps and portfolio health assessments to guide decisions and regularly review the portfolio to ensure technology investments remain intentional and strategic.