Investors are bullish on AI, with the vast majority urging companies to upskill their workers to better leverage the technology, as they believe it will make them more productive and profitable in the long term. 

This is according to Big Four firm PwC’s annual Global Investor Survey. PwC polled 345 investors and analysts across 24 countries and territories in September and conducted in-depth interviews with 14 investment professionals. It found that a comfortable majority—73%—of the survey respondents said companies should deploy AI solutions at scale, likely because 66% expect the companies they invest in to deliver productivity increases from AI over the next 12 months, with 63% expecting revenue increases and 62% expecting it to increase profitability. 

While there have been some public anxieties about AI replacing workers, many investors do not see a tension between the two forces. The survey found that 31% believe AI will have little to no impact on headcount at companies, and a further 32% believe AI will actually lead to businesses hiring 5% more people than before. The report did not mention what the remaining 37% thought on this topic. 

“Investors expect to see real outcomes from GenAI over the next year and recognize that achieving this will take investment in people and upskilling, as well as technology,” said PwC global assurance leader Wes Bricker. “Management can expect scrutiny on how they deliver AI productivity gains and support for an approach that extends beyond the tech itself to reinvent the way businesses operate.”

Aside from AI matters, the survey also found that investors are generally optimistic about the global economy, with slightly more than half—51%—saying they believe it will grow over the next year, with fewer concerns about inflation and macroeconomic shocks. However, it is a cautious optimism, as they also cited cyber risk and geopolitical conflict as possible spanners in the works. With these risks remaining top of mind for investors, 86% of the respondents indicated that the ability of a company to manage through a crisis is an important factor in their investment decision-making, 60% of investors believe it is also very or extremely important that companies re-think their business models in response to supply chain instability, and 68% said they should increase their investment to de-risk them.

Investors are looking for more information beyond what is on the financial statement. In particular, they are craving more information on corporate governance (40%) and innovation (37%). They tend to get this information through investor-focused communications and direct dialogue with the company. Fewer investors say they are relying on the financial statements and note disclosures, with the proportion of investors reporting that they rely on them to a large or very large extent going from 66% to 55% compared to last year. As investors look to qualitative data, AI may provide significant opportunities in analyzing information published by companies. Nearly two-thirds (62%) said it has significantly or moderately increased their ability to do so.

“Reliable information is the lifeblood of capital markets, yet today’s pervasive flow of data can be a blessing and a curse,” said Kazi Islam, global assurance strategy and growth leader for PwC US. “The expectation on business leaders is to communicate to investors what is material to their business, doubling down on transparency and consistency to ensure they are building trust through communication. As AI provides the capability needed to sift easier through these qualitative and quantitative data, ensuring consistent and effective communication from company leaders is imperative.” 

As part of our annual Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting list, Accounting Today asks candidates to name who they think are the most influential people in the field, and here they are, ranked by the number of votes they received from the 139 candidates.

The top nine are listed below, and you can see Accounting Today‘s full list of the Top 100 here.

Infinite Ties, an online community built for client accounting services professionals in the U.S., announced the official launch of its site at infinite-ties.com. 

The website was created to foster collaboration and the sharing of best practices and resources around CAS.

The founders of Infinite Ties (named for “Technology, Information, Education that leads to Success”) were early adopters in the CAS space.

“The CAS community can often feel like an island,” said co-founder Christine Triantos in a statement. “We recognize the need for CAS members to objectively discuss what’s working, what’s not working, technology solutions, and best practices. Infinite Ties aims to bridge these gaps and create a supportive, connected community.”

The online community’s training resources include monthly webinars, templates for common CAS practice requirements, and interactive forums.

“We have trained team members on specific CAS theory and techniques, and we also understand that finding CAS-specific training can be difficult,” Triantos stated. “Our goal is to provide accessible, high-quality training and resources to help CAS professionals excel.”

“We are passionate about CAS and wholeheartedly want to help CAS professionals be rockstars in this space,” co-founder Michelle Welch said in a statement. “Infinite Ties is not just a platform; it’s a movement towards excellence and innovation in CAS. We’re excited to see the positive impact it will have on the industry.”

Membership is $99 per month for up to five team members and more information is available on the website.