AI Adoption In Finance Surges To 75% As ROI Expectations Are Met: KPMG

A comprehensive report by KPMG indicates that the integration of Artificial Intelligence within the finance sector has accelerated dramatically over the last two years. According to a survey of 1,013 senior finance leaders across 20 countries and 13 sectors, active AI usage has risen from 30% in 2024 to a dominant 75% in 2026. This surge suggests that AI is no longer a peripheral experimental tool but has instead become a core 'decision engine' for global financial institutions, fundamentally altering how data is processed and leveraged.

More than three-fourths of the surveyed organisations are now actively leveraging AI for critical functions such as financial planning, reporting, and commercial analysis. The shift is driven by strong performance metrics, with 71% of leaders reporting that AI has either met or exceeded their initial return-on-investment (ROI) expectations. This high level of satisfaction is encouraging further investment into generative AI and predictive modeling, as firms seek to automate routine accounting tasks and gain more accurate insights into market trends and consumer behavior.

Despite the rapid rollout, the report emphasizes that governance and data quality remain the primary keys to unlocking long-term value. Indian financial services companies, which are among the most aggressive adopters of digital technology, face a unique challenge in harmonizing legacy data with modern AI systems. As the Reserve Bank of India continues to explore regulatory frameworks for fintech, the findings suggest that Indian firms must prioritize ethical AI frameworks to maintain consumer trust. The transition to an AI-first finance model in India will likely depend on the availability of high-quality, localized data sets.