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2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the adoption of artificial intelligence in business, as pilot projects are now shifting toward real implementation of the technology across organizations.
It is no surprise that 58% of surveyed executives expect AI to be a major driver of growth over the next two years. Another 32% believe it will fundamentally transform operations once the technology is deployed across the entire business, according to the EY‑Parthenon CEO Outlook Survey conducted among 1,200 senior executives from 21 countries.
Nearly all respondents have either already launched (52%) or plan to launch (45%) significant initiatives this year in their pursuit of growth. They are increasingly viewing AI as a reliable enabler of productivity, revenue growth, customer experience and efficiency. However, the majority of executives have still not unlocked the full potential of AI, with only 20% saying that artificial intelligence exceeded their expectations over the past year.
All these data points show that AI’s progress is no longer a “project for tomorrow,” but a concrete lever for CFOs today — enabling faster execution of tasks even when they involve large volumes of work, automation of functions, real‑time control and reporting, process transformation and more. AI is already delivering new value to the finance function, but results depend on the investments made and on managers’ commitment to embedding AI capabilities across their teams.
There is a noticeable gap between large and smaller companies in the level of AI adoption. Western organizations also demonstrate greater readiness, while those in Central and Eastern Europe are still catching up. Nevertheless, there are strong examples showing, in practice, the benefits and lessons learned from implementing AI.
The introduction and use of AI in the finance function will be discussed by international and Bulgarian senior leaders at the EY CFO Forum 2026, which EY Bulgaria is organizing on April 28 at Grand Hotel Millennium Sofia. Most of the speakers are finalists and winners of the CFO of the Year awards and will share practical advice and proven solutions based on their experience with the ongoing AI‑driven transformation of the finance function. Other key topics include cybersecurity, digitalization and finance transformation, geopolitics, sustainability, and sector outlooks.
