Finance leaders at Britain’s biggest companies are becoming notably more positive about artificial intelligence, according to Deloitte’s latest quarterly survey of UK CFOs. Nearly three-quarters now say they are optimistic that AI can improve business performance, a significant shift for a group typically known for cautious assessments.
The findings point to growing confidence that AI can deliver practical benefits inside large organisations, from efficiency gains to stronger decision-making. That rising optimism suggests the technology is moving beyond hype in the eyes of finance chiefs and becoming a more serious part of business planning.
At the same time, the headline mood does not appear to signal a spending free-for-all. The survey indicates that even as CFOs warm to AI, they are still keeping a close eye on costs and broader investment discipline. That balance reflects the role finance executives play in backing new tools while guarding against unnecessary risk.
The overall picture is of a UK corporate sector that is increasingly open to AI, but not abandoning financial restraint. For major companies, the current approach seems to be one of measured adoption: embracing the potential upside of AI while maintaining careful control over budgets and spending priorities.
