Agefi Luxembourg - avril 2025

Avril 2025 3 AGEFI Luxembourg Economie / Fiscalité Continuedpage 1 This relatively newapproach allowedus to an- alyze the enormous amount of data in a struc- tured and efficient manner. AI models such as SciSpace (1) helpedus create topicmaps andana- lyze complex topics quickly and thoroughly to obtainawell-founded,well-structuredoverallpic- ture of the currentAI-related developments in finance divisions. So we did a study on AIinthefinancefunctionusingAI! Based on the interviews with CFOs: What are the core findings of the study? Howdo CFOs generally posi- tion themselves towards AI? Oneofthekeyfindingsofourstudy isthatAIwillimpacteverysinglearea of thefinancedivision.However, the roleof the CFOs themselves will not fundamentally change. Whatisstriking,however,isthattheimplementation status still reflects considerable reluctance: almost 90%of thebanks surveyedare still cautiouslyexper- imenting with AI to identify possible use cases. However, there is a clear consensus among the re- spondents that the coming years will be pivotal in moving from the experimental phase to active use. When it comes to usingAI, an adequate data struc- ture and adequate data quality as well asAI quali- fications on the part of employees are seen as important priorities. TheCFOs surveyed also agree that it’s essential to define a clear strategy for the use of AI in the CFO function and clearly commu- nicate it to the employees. Are there any aspects that particularly sur- prised you? Definitely. One of the biggest surprises was how re- luctant the participating CFOs are when it comes to implementing AI, although all participants empha- sized the significant impact of the technology on the futureofthefinancedivision.Datamanagement,data protection and the often unclear regulatory frame- workposeparticularchallengesthatshouldn’tbeun- derestimated. Although many CFOs seeAI as strategically impor- tant, they have not yet integrated it comprehensively into their day-to-day operations. Some institutions cited a lack of resources and expertise as reasons for this, while others stated that there was simply not enough time to deal withAI and that a newAI strat- egywas therefore absolutelynecessary. In light of the often-disruptive nature of AI, we had expectedtheCFOswesurveyedtoberatherskeptical aboutthetechnology.Butthatisnotthecase.AIisper- ceived less as a threat to traditional finance roles and moreasameantoimproveandincreasetheefficiency of existing processes – a really positive surprise that gives us cause for optimism! Are CFOs already using AI in their actual day-to-day business? Currently, most CFOs are not yet making intensive use of AI in their daily business. So far, manyCFOs have been usingAI sporadically, for example to an- alyzedata or automate individ- ual processes. However, very few CFOs are using AI comprehensively and routinely. Neverthe- less, theCFOswe sur- veyed are convinced that AI will be increas- ingly integrated into their institutions’ day-to-day business in the coming years, especially when it comes to analyzing data, increasing efficiency and reporting. They believe that in the long term, this will benefit all areas of the finance division. SomeCFOsareevenexperimentingwithnoveltypes of AI tools on their own initiative, attempting to en- sure that all employees use various forms of AI in their everydaywork so that they gradually familiar- ize themselveswith the technology. What types of use cases are in focus? The study identifies almost 50AI use cases in the fi- nancial industry. Measurable efficiency gains and cost savings have already been achieved with 16 of them. This proves that concrete improvements can be achieved usingAI – especially when pursuing a well-planned and targeted approach. These use cases helpmake the potential of AI for the industry –and thebenefits that canbeachievedbyexpediting AI implementation – tangible. What conclusiondo you reach in theCFOStudy? In our study, we come to the conclusion that even thoughAIhasthepotentialtosignificantlychangethe financedivisionofEuropeanbanks,itisstillatanearly stage of implementation. The majority of CFOs and senior finance executives surveyed recognize thatAI will impact every area of their division – from data analysis to decision-making processes. However, most banks are still in an exploratory phase and haven’tcomeupwithacomprehensiveimplementa- tion strategy. The transition from the experimental phase to the implementation phase should be accel- eratedwith targetedmeasures. What is your closing summary?What doyou think will be the future roleofAI in thefinance function? Our closing summary is that AI is a key technology for the future finance divisions of European banks – buttheindustryisstillatthebeginningofitsAItrans- formation. Although CFOs clearly recognize the strategic importance of AI, there is currently a large discrepancy between the potential of the technology and its actual application in everyday life. We see thedevelopment ofAI in thefinance function as a journey that must be taken, even though it can only be taken in small steps. The successful imple- mentationofquantifiableusecaseswillshapetheway forward and boost confidence in the technology. In thelongterm,AIwillnotonlyincreaseefficiencyand precision in the finance organization, but also strengthentheroleofthefinancefunctionasastrategic partner within the bank. AI will make it possible to gain deeper insights into data, make faster decisions and significantly reduce costs – a development that will fundamentally enrich the finance function. (1)AnAIsearchvehicle *zebconsultingisastrategy,management&ITconsultancyspecializing infinancialservices inEurope.Formore information ,visitwww.zeb.lu Vers un nouvel ordre mondial L eministre des Finances, GillesRoth, a participé aux réunions de l'Eurogroupe et duConseil des affaires écono- miques et financières (ECOFIN) in- formel àVarsovie du 10 au 12 avril. Lorsdesréunionsdel'Eurogroupe,lesmi- nistres des Finances ont abordé les déve- loppements économiques et la coordi- nationdes politiques de la zone euro. Enpréparationdes prochaines réunions de printemps duFondsmonétaire inter- national (FMI) et de la Banquemondiale à Washington DC, l'Eurogroupe a ana- lysé les évolutions des taux de change et de l'inflation. Pour ce faire, les ministres se sont appuyés sur les analyses de la Commission européenne et de la Banque centrale européenne. Lors de l'ECOFIN informel, les ministres et les gouverneurs des banques centrales ont échangé sur la compétitivité desmar- chés financiers européens, notamment dans le cadrede l'unionde l'épargne et de l'investissement, ainsi que sur leur rôle dans le soutien à l'investissement. La présidente de la Confédération suisse et cheffe du Département fédéral des fi- nances, Karin Keller-Sutter, et le ministre des Finances de la Norvège, Jens Stolten- berg, ont également assisté à cet échange. Compte tenu du contexte géopolitique actuel, la session ECOFINdu samedi 12 avril apermis auxministresdes Finances d'aborder le financement de la défense commune européenne. Gilles Roth, commente : « En ces temps incertains, l'Europe doit faire preuve d'unité politique et de stabilité écono- mique. Il est important de trouver en- semble des solutions pour renforcer la prospérité et la sécurité des citoyens. » Enmarge des réunions, Gilles Roth a eu un échange de vues bilatéral avec Karin Keller-Sutter. Source :ministèredesFinances Gilles Roth à l'Eurogroupe et au Conseil ECOFIN à Varsovie : «L'Europe doit faire preuve d'unité et de stabilité » ©EuropeanCouncil www.atoz.lu Your trusted partner for tax strategy Founder & Member of the world’s largest independent tax network