Technology
Google Cloud appoints former Oracle finance executive as CFO
Google Cloud welcomes a new CFO: Kobi Bar-Nathan, former head of finance for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, took on the role this month. Against the backdrop of Google Cloud's 28% year-over-year revenue growth, this appointment highlights the increasing demand for financial leadership amid intensifying competition in AI infrastructure.
KPMG Survey: Enterprise Agentic AI Deployment Accelerates, but Risks and Challenges Persist
Research released by KPMG on Thursday shows that about one-third of enterprises have fully deployed agentic AI, a threefold increase from 11% in the previous two quarters. 57% of enterprises are piloting agents, down from 65% last quarter; 10% are exploring potential uses, down from 25% last quarter. KPMG notes that technology skill gaps, employee resistance to change, and system complexity are major deployment barriers. Gartner, meanwhile, predicts that by the end of 2027, over 40% of agentic AI projects will be canceled.
Stablecoins Poised to Bridge Traditional Finance and Crypto Assets, Bastion Executive Says
Vince Tejada, the new head of finance and strategic finance at stablecoin infrastructure provider Bastion, said stablecoins are expected to serve as a bridge connecting traditional finance and digital assets, unlocking potential in treasury and cross-border payments.
From Uber to Remote: CFO Michiel Boere's 'Risk-Appetite' Financial Philosophy
Against the backdrop of an still-unclear global macroeconomic environment, Remote CFO Michiel Boere draws on his early investment experience at Uber Eats, adopting a 'risk-appetite' strategy by directing R&D focus toward non-core businesses, and emphasizes that financial leaders must flexibly switch between strategy and operations. Leveraging ample funds from the company's $150 million Series B funding round in 2022, he makes long-term plans while closely monitoring the impact of AI, remote work trends, and geopolitics on the global talent market.
Salesforce raises prices on several core products amid AI push
As Salesforce advances its AI agent strategy, it announced that starting August 1, it will raise list prices by an average of 6% for several core products, including Sales Cloud and Service Cloud Enterprise. Slack's Business plan price will increase by 20% to $15 per user per month (billed annually) starting June 17. New Agentforce pricing takes effect simultaneously, with the add-on starting at a minimum of $125 per user per month.
Judge preliminarily approves AT&T's $177 million data breach settlement
Judge Ada Brown of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas has preliminarily approved AT&T's $177 million data breach settlement. The agreement aims to resolve consolidated class-action lawsuits arising from two data breaches disclosed in 2024. Of this amount, $149 million addresses claims related to the breach disclosed in March 2024, and $28 million covers another breach disclosed in July 2024. The court has scheduled a hearing for December 3 to consider final approval of the settlement. AT&T denied the allegations in a statement but agreed to the settlement to avoid the costs and uncertainties of prolonged litigation.
Senate procedural vote passes, state-level AI regulatory freeze provision gains key progress
A U.S. Senate proposal aimed at freezing state-level artificial intelligence regulations for 10 years has passed a key procedural hurdle in the budget reconciliation process, but faces opposition from bipartisan lawmakers.
Evolution of the Payment System: Future Trend Outlook
Payment infrastructure is shifting from traditional bank counters toward instant, digital, and decentralized systems. It is projected that by 2028, at least 32% of global transactions will be completed through instant payments, electronic money, and direct debits. AI technology both enhances fraud protection and introduces new risks; blockchain and stablecoins are reshaping cross-border payments. This article explores the strategic implications of these trends for businesses and financial institutions.
Evolution of Obstacles in Private Enterprise AI Adoption: From Ethical Concerns to Data Security and Strategic Competition
Private enterprises are transitioning from the early exploratory phase of AI adoption to a new stage, with the challenges and obstacles they face changing significantly. KPMG research shows that data security and privacy issues have replaced ethical concerns as the primary obstacle for financial reporting leaders in adopting AI. Meanwhile, business leaders hold divergent views on the core value of AI and recognize the importance of building end-to-end AI strategies.
SolarWinds Promotes Tim Karaca to Chief Financial Officer
Software maker SolarWinds announced on Wednesday that it has promoted finance veteran Tim Karaca to Chief Financial Officer, effective June 16. Karaca previously served as Vice President of Strategic Finance and Investor Relations for three years. This finance leadership change comes as the company addresses a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over a 2020 cybersecurity breach and completes its privatization through a $4.4 billion acquisition by Turn/River Capital.