Deloitte survey: Trust barriers hinder agentic AI adoption in finance

A recent poll by Deloitte revealed that over 80% of finance and accounting professionals anticipate the widespread adoption of AI-powered tools within five years. These tools, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents and Generative AI (GenAI) chatbots, are seen as pivotal for enhancing efficiency and productivity.

According to the poll, 42.7% of respondents cited increased efficiency as the primary advantage of employing AI agents, with this sentiment even stronger among organizations already utilizing the technology. While 33.6% indicate plans to adopt agentic AI, only 13.5% are currently implementing it.

Barriers to adoption include trust issues, which accounted for 21.3% of responses regarding challenges in using agentic AI. Integration into current systems and a lack of skilled personnel were also significant concerns. Many respondents prefer AI to operate within predefined limits, demonstrating a cautious approach towards AI autonomy.

Deloitte’s leaders identified the importance of establishing trust with AI implementations and developing clear policies to mitigate risks associated with AI in finance. The Trustworthy AI framework, introduced by Deloitte, outlines principles to enhance user confidence.

This comprehensive approach aims to address the prevailing concerns and establish a foundation for future AI advancements in finance and accounting.