More and more companies in Spain trust in the capabilities of AI, although there is still a long way to go to reach its maximum potential. A recent study by Payhawk reveals that, although trust in AI is growing, barriers still persist that hold back its definitive adoption. Among the main ones, the lack of time to implement new solutions, the learning curve and internal resistance to change stand out.
Still, the trend is optimistic. The report “How CFOs are addressing the current technology gap” shows that 65% of Spanish financial directors trust that AI will assume a relevant part of their responsibilities in the coming years. In addition, 30% have already incorporated artificial intelligence-based tools in essential areas such as accounts payable and receivable, enterprise resource planning (ERP) or data analytics.
AI Agents, the next step in technological evolution
Innovation does not stop and, after the rise of Generative AI, the next big trend that is gaining strength is AI Agents, a new category of intelligent systems capable of executing tasks autonomously. According to a Deloitte study, Agentic AI (52%) and multi-agent systems (45%) are among the emerging innovations that are arousing the most interest in the business field.
In the financial field, these agents represent a revolution in the way processes are managed. They are capable of automating repetitive and complex tasks, allowing teams to focus on more strategic functions. Its integration into collaborative work environments such as Microsoft Teams or Slack improves accessibility and facilitates its adoption compared to other more technical technologies, such as traditional machine learning.
The report “How CFOs are addressing the current technology gap” shows that 65% of Spanish financial directors trust that AI will assume a relevant part of their responsibilities in the coming years
“40% of financiers dedicate more than half of their working day to purely operational tasks. By taking charge of these functions autonomously, AI Agents are providing more time to professionals, time that they can dedicate to tasks of greater strategic value. And without giving up security, since they use the permissions, workflows and audit logs that have been established,” explains Laura Gámiz, Director in Spain at Payhawk.
AI applied to expense management
In the day-to-day life of financial departments, one of the areas where this technology can have the most impact is the management of corporate expenses. AI Agents are capable of automatically capturing receipts, approving requests according to internal policies or detecting anomalies without the need for human intervention. They can also book trips, analyze expense documents, or alert you to unusual patterns.
The potential for improvement is considerable. According to the study, 42% of CFOs dedicate between 15 and 30 hours per month to manual expense management, and 9% invest more than 40 hours per month in this task. Automating this process would free up a lot of time that could be spent on financial analysis and strategic planning.
Agentic AI is thus presented as a key ally to improve efficiency and reduce human errors. Furthermore, as it is integrated into platforms that are already part of the companies’ digital ecosystem, its implementation is more agile than that of other emerging technologies.
Training, communication and security, the pending challenges
Despite the progress, the Payhawk study indicates that only 8% of financial departments in Spain consider that their processes are completely digitalized, a figure that reveals the wide margin for improvement that exists. However, 88% of financial professionals say that new technologies would allow them to optimize their daily work, which demonstrates a clear predisposition towards change.
The company warns that the success of digitalization does not depend solely on adopting a tool, but on accompanying the process with adequate training and transparent communication with employees. Explaining the purpose of AI, its benefits, and its role in corporate strategy is essential to overcoming internal resistance.
Security also plays a fundamental role. AI-based solutions must operate within controlled environments and meet strict data protection standards to ensure user trust.
“At Payhawk we are firmly betting on artificial intelligence. We have just launched our AI Office for CFOs with the aim of taking the productivity of finance departments to the next level, but, also, knowing that we do it with all the guarantees,” concludes Gámiz.
