From exploration to scaling: regional AI adoption path
Across the globe, most finance teams are just beginning their journey with AI. Most organizations in North America and Japan are still testing or experimenting with AI in specific areas. However, in France, a significant number are already expanding AI implementation across several finance functions, progressing more quickly and confidently than others.
Across all three regions, most finance teams are still in the early stages of AI adoption.
- In North America, 86% of respondents report they are either exploring use cases (53%) or piloting AI in select areas (33%).
- Japan shows similar trends, with 76% of respondents in these early phases.
- France, however, stands out: while 72% are exploring or piloting AI, 18% report scaling AI across multiple finance functions – more than four times the rate in North America respondents (4%) and double Japan’s rate (7%).
Barriers to scaling AI vary sharply by region
When it comes to barriers that stand in the way of scaling AI across the finance function, lack of internal expertise was the top barrier across all regions (North America 51%, Japan 52%, France 43%). However, the degree to which each region faces other obstacles to scaling AI varies considerably.
- Regulatory, security, and ethical concerns are cited as the top barrier by nearly half of France respondents (48%), compared to just 29% in North America and 19% in Japan.
- Conversely, unclear ROI for AI investments is a bigger concern among North America respondents (37%) than in Japan (26%).
- AI-related funding constraints are most pronounced in Japan (20%) and France (18%), compared to only 10% in North America.
Agentic AI confidence drivers reflect regional priorities
When asked what would give them the most confidence to deploy agentic AI more broadly:
North America respondents overwhelmingly said proven use cases (65%).
France respondents said that agentic AI integration with existing CPM tools (65%) would be their biggest confidence driver.
Japan (44%) and North America (41%) respondents said that clear governance and accountability frameworks would increase their confidence in deploying agentic AI across finance, with 36% of respondents in Japan also saying that stronger internal AI literacy would further boost their readiness to scale AI.
A shared vision, different journeys
As the polls from the inTouch25 events show, the story of AI in finance is not one of uniform progress, but of diverse experiences and evolving ambitions.
Finance leaders worldwide recognize AI’s transformative potential, but these findings underscore that the journey looks different across regions. At Wolters Kluwer, we are committed to working hand-in-hand with customers to overcome barriers, whether that’s integration challenges in France, ROI clarity in North America, or funding concerns in Japan.
No matter where you are on your AI journey, understanding regional differences can help you benchmark progress and anticipate challenges. With tools like CCH Tagetik Intelligent Platform, finance professionals are finding new ways to transform the Office of the CFO, with each region writing its own chapter in the global narrative of AI adoption.
Upcoming: Future Ready CFO
Get ready for the Future Ready CFO report, the latest in a series of global survey reports from Wolters Kluwer. Future Ready reports feature informative content and actionable Business Insights that keep professionals updated on the latest trends, best practices, and regulatory changes, ensuring they are well-prepared for the future.
Launching by March 2026 Future Ready CFO will capture the voices of 1,300 CFO decision makers in North America, Europe, and Japan. It will reveal what’s next for finance leadership including technology adoption, operations and decision making. Experts will examine the seismic shift presented by AI and how these trends will redefine finance leadership.