Corporate Performance & ESG November 04, 2026

Which finance activities are Benelux professionals ready to entrust to AI?

Key Takeaways

  • 70% would be comfortable allowing AI to manage transaction matching and reconciliations autonomously over the next three years.
  • 47% would give AI autonomy over management reporting and analysis, 42% financial planning and forecasting, and 40% financial close processes.
  • 52% said demonstrated accuracy over time would give them confidence to significantly expand AI use, while 51% cited better quality and consistency of underlying data.
  • 51% identified productivity and efficiency as the biggest AI opportunity for finance.
  • Only 4% said they would not be comfortable allowing AI to autonomously manage any of the finance activities listed.

Seven in 10 finance professionals polled in Belgium and the Netherlands would give AI autonomy over transaction matching


CCH Tagetik Belgium and Netherlands inTouch 2026 polling finds finance professionals are ready to give AI greater autonomy, but demonstrated accuracy and high-quality data are key to expanding adoption.Polling at CCH Tagetik inTouch 2026 events in Belgium and the Netherlands shows that transaction matching and reconciliations stand out as the areas respondents are most ready to entrust to AI. Seven in 10 said they would be comfortable allowing AI to handle these processes autonomously over the next three years. 

The results suggest the conversation is shifting from whether AI should play a greater role in finance to which processes professionals are prepared to entrust to it, and what they need to see before expanding its autonomy.

The findings are based on combined polling of 133 to 136 respondents per question at the events.

In this article

Which finance activities are professionals willing to give to AI?


Transaction matching and reconciliations stand out as the area respondents are most comfortable entrusting to AI. Seventy percent would allow AI to manage these processes autonomously over the next three years, well ahead of the other options included in the polling.

Management reporting and analysis ranked second at 47%. Financial planning and forecasting followed at 42%, while 40% selected financial close processes. Risk and compliance monitoring was chosen by 18%, and cash flow and liquidity management by 15%.

 Finance activity
 Comfortable with AI autonomy
 Transaction matching and reconciliations  70%
 Management reporting and analysis  47%
 Financial planning and forecasting  42%
 Financial close processes  40%
 Risk and compliance monitoring  18%
 Cash flow and liquidity management  15%
 None of the activities listed  4%


Only five of the 135 respondents to the question said they would not be comfortable with AI autonomously managing any of the listed activities.

What gives finance professionals confidence to scale AI?

Demonstrated accuracy and better underlying data are the two leading factors that would give finance professionals confidence to significantly expand AI use. Accuracy over time was selected by 52% of respondents, closely followed by better quality and consistency of underlying data at 51%.

Clear accountability and governance frameworks followed at 29%, while 22% chose independent validation or audit of AI outputs. Proven return on investment and business outcomes followed at 15%, and regulatory or industry guidance at 4%. 

Respondents could select two answers.

 What would give finance confidence to expand AI?
 Respondents
 Demonstrated accuracy over time  52%
 Better quality and consistency of underlying data  51%
 Clear accountability and governance frameworks  29%
 Independent validation or audit of AI outputs  22%
 Proven ROI and business outcomes  15%
 Proven ROI and business outcomes  4%


What makes finance professionals trust AI-supported financial decisions?


Strong data quality and consistency is the leading factor for increasing trust in AI-supported financial decisions. Thirty-two percent of respondents chose it, followed by proven accuracy over time at 25%.

What business value do finance professionals expect from AI?


Productivity and efficiency is the biggest AI opportunity for finance, according to 51% of respondents. It was selected three times as often as deeper business insights, the second-highest response at 17%.  

Improving forecasting and planning accuracy was selected by 14%, while 13% chose accelerating decision-making.

 Biggest opportunity AI presents for finance 
 Respondents
 Increasing productivity and efficiency   51%
 Unlocking deeper business insights from data  17%
 Improving forecasting and planning accuracy  14%
 Accelerating decision-making  13%
 Enhancing strategic business partnering  4%
 Improving risk management and compliance  1%

 

What do the findings mean for finance leaders?


The findings show a pragmatic appetite for greater AI autonomy across finance. Finance professionals are particularly ready to entrust AI with transaction matching and reconciliations, while substantial proportions are also comfortable extending autonomy into reporting, planning and the financial close.  

At the same time, greater autonomy comes with clear expectations. Respondents identified demonstrated accuracy and high-quality underlying data as the leading conditions for expanding AI use, while productivity and efficiency emerged as its biggest perceived business opportunity.  

Taken together, the findings suggest a practical path for AI adoption: greater autonomy where professionals are comfortable with it, backed by reliable financial data and consistent performance. 

Executive quote 

“Finance professionals are starting to define what AI autonomy means in practice. The strong support for transaction matching and reconciliations shows where confidence is growing, while accuracy and trusted data will be critical as AI takes on greater responsibility.” 

Vincent Salmon, General Manager Western Europe, Wolters Kluwer CCH Tagetik

Benelux inTouch infographic

Frequently asked questions

  • Are finance professionals ready to give AI greater autonomy?

    Yes, for several finance activities. 70% of respondents said they would be comfortable allowing AI to manage transaction matching and reconciliations autonomously over the next three years, with 47% selecting management reporting and analysis, 42% planning and forecasting, and 40% financial close processes.

  • Which finance process has the strongest support for AI autonomy?

    Transaction matching and reconciliations have the strongest support. They were selected by 70% of respondents, compared with 47% for management reporting and analysis, the next-highest response.

  • What would give finance professionals confidence to expand their use of AI?

    Demonstrated accuracy over time was chosen by 52% of respondents, while 51% said better quality and consistency of underlying data. These were the two leading answers when respondents were asked what would give them confidence to significantly expand AI use across finance.

  • What makes finance professionals trust AI-supported financial decisions?

    Strong data quality and consistency was the leading individual factor, selected by 32% of respondents. Proven accuracy over time ranked second at 25%.

  • What is the biggest opportunity finance professionals see from AI?

    Increasing productivity and efficiency was selected by 51% of respondents as the biggest opportunity AI presents for finance over the next three years. Deeper business insights ranked second at 17%.

About Belgium and Netherlands inTouch 2026 polling


The findings are based on live audience polling at CCH Tagetik inTouch 2026 events in Belgium and the Netherlands. Each question received between 133 and 136 combined responses. Combined percentages were calculated from the total number of responses across both events.  

The Belgium event contributed 36–37 responses per question and the Netherlands event contributed 97–99. As a result, the combined percentages are weighted more heavily towards responses from the Netherlands.
Contacts
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Tom Reller
Associate Director, External Communications
Corporate Performance & ESG
+ 1 215-584-0409
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