Accordion, an AI and data-powered financial consulting firm focused on private equity, today announced the release of its latest report AI in the PE-Backed Finance Function.

The survey—based on findings from 200 private equity sponsors and 200 PE-backed CFOs—reveals a significant disconnect between the urgency sponsors feel regarding AI adoption and the hesitation among their portfolio CFOs about when, where, and how to start implementing AI solutions. Accordion’s report addresses these concerns and provides actionable steps for PE-backed CFOs to begin their AI journey.

Key takeaways from the report include:

• 98% of sponsors have directed their CFOs to prioritize AI adoption. Yet most CFOs have not acted, with 68% saying it’s primarily because they don’t know where to begin or who to turn to for help.
• 83% of sponsors want their CFOs to invest in AI right now, leveraging potentially longer hold periods as an opportune time to begin (or double down) on AI. But most CFOs (74%) haven’t gotten that message, believing that their sponsors would prefer they hold off until tariff-related market uncertainty has passed.
• Nearly all sponsors (99%) agree that the most effective way for their CFOs to adopt AI today is through discrete, practical finance workstreams such as automated close, cash flow forecasting, and invoice-to-cash automation.

“Sponsors are under immense pressure to drive more value,” said Nick Leopard, Accordion CEO. “They believe portfolio-wide AI adoption is critical to value creation. So, they are turning that pressure on CFOs. But the truth is, their portfolio CFOs are not acting, at least not as quickly as sponsors are demanding. This AI paralysis is not rooted in skepticism as much as it is in intimidation: Finance executives aren’t technologists, and in this constantly evolving landscape, they simply don’t know where to start. At Accordion, we’re committed to helping sponsors and their portfolio CFOs best navigate their inevitable AI journey by rapidly and effectively deploying it in ways that drive meaningful value and set companies up for exit success.”

Accordion’s survey outlines five clear steps for PE-backed CFOs to move forward on their AI journey:

1. Identify the right finance tasks to improve: Rather than pursuing sweeping transformation, CFOs should begin their AI journey by targeting specific, high-impact areas within the finance function. These might include manual-heavy processes like close acceleration, cash flow forecasting, or invoice-to-cash. Sponsors overwhelmingly agree that the best path to AI adoption today is through focused, discrete workstreams that are ready for automation and enhancement.
2. Measure the impact: Sponsors want to see clear returns from AI investments, not just in theory but in EBITDA. CFOs should assess potential initiatives through a value lens: Will this reduce costs? Improve margins? Enhance decision-making speed or accuracy? The goal is to quantify the business case for AI transformation, ensuring alignment with sponsor expectations and investment horizons.
3. Make better use of available data: AI is only as powerful as the data behind it. CFOs should begin by identifying areas where data infrastructure is already strong enough to support automation, while also launching longer-term efforts to clean, integrate, and structure enterprise data. This dual-track approach allows early wins while laying the foundation for broader transformation.
4. Choose experienced and trusted third-party partners to help with implementation: With numerous vendors promoting AI, it’s crucial to work with partners who understand the unique dynamics of PE-backed environments. Look for service providers that have proven track records delivering results for CFOs in sponsor-backed settings, not just selling software.
5. Align technology with the right people and processes to deliver tangible results: Technology alone isn’t the solution. Real productivity gains happen when tech is implemented alongside redesigned workflows and an upskilled finance team. As AI reshapes the finance function, CFOs will need to rethink how work gets done, how talent is deployed, and how to embed agility into legacy systems.

“CFOs are still in the early stages of adopting AI but if they don’t act fast (and intelligently) they’ll run the very real risk of falling too far behind,” said Kyle Roemer, Accordion Managing Director and US Head of Data & Analytics. “As the survey makes clear, CFOs should start by applying AI to discrete and inefficient finance workstreams. But because the pace of innovation is happening so quickly, CFOs also need to think about the long-term and find partners who can help leverage AI for more strategic finance functions, like the ability to predict—not just react to—business performance.”

About Accordion

Accordion sits at the heart of private equity—where sponsors and CFOs meet. Through financial consulting rooted in data, technology, and AI, we help clients drive value. Our services support the Office of the CFO across all stages of the investment lifecycle—including foundational accounting, strategic financial planning and analysis enhancement, CFO-led performance, transaction support, and turnaround and restructuring solutions. Accordion is headquartered in New York with ten offices around the globe.

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