Technology
North America Accounting Talent Competition Intensifies, Salaries Rise by 6% on Average
The 2026 Corporate Accounting Talent Study released by Controllers Council shows that salaries for accounting positions in North America have risen by an average of 6% over the past 12 months, with executive-level increases reaching as high as 6.7%. 61% of respondents reported facing accounting talent shortages, a significant rise from 46% the previous year. Compensation competitiveness has become the top strategy for attracting talent for the first time, but insufficient career development opportunities remain the primary reason for employee turnover.
AlphaSense CFO on Growth Metrics, Hiring Strategy, and Usage-Based Pricing Model
AlphaSense CFO Samantha Greenberg stated that the company is expanding its annual recurring revenue at a year-over-year growth rate of approximately 40% and is considering adjusting its hiring strategy to balance talent with AI technology adoption. She emphasized that data science and forecasting infrastructure are crucial in the evolution toward a usage-based pricing model.
Tech industry accounts for nearly one-third of US layoffs in first half: Challenger report
In the first half of 2026, the US tech industry laid off 139,156 people, accounting for nearly one-third of total national layoffs, a year-over-year increase of 83%. Artificial intelligence was the top reason for layoffs for the fourth consecutive month, with companies such as Cloudflare, Snap, and Block having announced related job cuts.
KPMG executive: Partnership with Anthropic is a 'step change'
Following Anthropic's launch of its new Claude financial agent, KPMG announced a global alliance with the AI giant. David Neuenhaus, KPMG's new global head of asset management, told CFO Dive in an interview that this partnership is a 'step change' and elaborated on the motivations behind the collaboration, cultural fit, and data protection measures.
Why do finance teams' digital transformations frequently stall midway?
Digital transformation yields significant results in the early stages, but many finance teams stall midway. Bank of America expert Brandon Sather, citing Visa research, points out that 53% of finance departments remain in the early stages due to conflicting priorities, confusion between automation and transformation, and poor internal communication. It is recommended to start with payment digitalization and emphasize that transformation is essentially organizational change rather than a technology project.
Microsoft strengthens Excel Copilot, focusing on financial work scenarios
Microsoft announced new features for Copilot in Excel on Thursday to help finance teams automate tasks such as modeling, closing books, monthly reporting, and variance analysis through reusable "skills." The company also expanded third-party data providers and plans to distribute skills via the Marketplace. This move comes amid intensifying competition in the CFO software market.
KPMG: Multi-agent Collaborative Deployment Raises Difficulty of Enterprise AI Cost Control
KPMG's latest quarterly AI pulse survey shows that the deployment rate of coordinated AI agents has doubled to 18%, but only 26% of enterprises have real-time cost visibility, making cost management a key bottleneck in large-scale application.
Maxima launches enterprise accounting AI agent 'Max', integrating month-end closing and transaction processing
Maxima has released an AI agent 'Max' for enterprise accounting teams, integrating transaction processing, month-end closing, and accounting intelligence to reduce manual repetitive work. The agent works in conjunction with existing ERP systems, supporting audit trails and human approval. Early user feedback indicates savings of 60 hours per employee per month, with Scale AI's closing cycle reduced from one month to two weeks.
From Unpaid CFO Beginnings to Leading Finance at an AI Robotics Company: Bas Lustenhouwer's Career Path
Early in his career, Bas Lustenhouwer was hindered when applying for CFO positions at startups due to a lack of direct experience. He chose to provide CFO services to multiple startups without pay to gain hands-on experience, then served as CFO at diamond B2B platform Nivoda for over six years, helping it raise over $100 million. Now, as CFO of AI robotics company Dexory, he is addressing complex challenges in global expansion with a lean finance team and automation tools.
EY Report: CFOs Lag in AI Readiness, ROI Pressure Rises
Recent research by Ernst & Young (EY) shows that only 21% of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) rate their artificial intelligence (AI) readiness as 'leading' or 'advanced.' The report notes that finance teams with higher AI readiness are more likely to identify AI's value in core business operations, but most CFOs remain challenged by measuring return on investment (ROI), and there are notable gaps in team capabilities.