AI in Treasury: What’s Really Happening?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a buzzword; it’s having a real, tangible impact on treasury and finance, changing how we work and where we focus our time. It’s not just banks or tech giants that are taking notice—AI is now central to everything from cash management to risk assessment in treasury.

Take a recent Citigroup study, for instance. It found that financial services are the second biggest investors in AI, right after the tech industry itself. That investment isn’t just a trend; it’s a long-term shift as AI helps us streamline processes, boost productivity, and ultimately deliver more for less.

How AI is Changing Treasury—Right Now

Simply put, AI is making it easier to identify and resolve process flaws, saving time and money. But it’s more than that—it’s speeding things up across the board. Specialized algorithms can plow through massive data sets at record speed, picking up on unusual patterns that help treasury teams make better-informed, quicker decisions. We’ve all been there—manual, repetitive tasks that eat up valuable time and leave plenty of room for human error. Whether it’s managing risk or implementing controls, AI is now handling many of these tasks.

The upshot? Treasury teams can focus on higher-value, strategic work instead. It’s about working smarter, not harder.

Machine Learning in Treasury: Skills and Practical Examples

You don’t need to be a coding expert to get value from AI. It’s really about understanding your treasury management systems and knowing enough about the tech to apply it smartly.

Take, for example, a junior treasury professional I came across recently who used a bit of Python know-how to simplify his company’s cash forecasting. It wasn’t about flashy coding—it was just a clever, practical application of his skills that made a real impact. When I saw this buried at the bottom of his CV, I suggested it was in his summary section before anyone even got into the full CV itself. He got a new role within 3 weeks of he and I speaking!

The Future of AI in Treasury—What to Expect

AI is here to stay in treasury, and if you haven’t already encountered it, trust me—it’s coming.

One of the most exciting applications is predictive analysis: using historical and market data to help treasurers anticipate what’s ahead. This isn’t just a helpful tool; it’s giving teams a crystal-clear view of inefficiencies and their costs, helping them zero in on where AI can make the biggest impact.

But here’s the key question: Will AI replace treasury jobs? The answer’s simple—NO!

AI is here to work with us, not instead of us. Treasury professionals bring something that AI can’t—experience, judgment, and strategic thinking. What AI does is save us time and cut down on errors, freeing us up to tackle the bigger, more strategic challenges.

At the end of the day, AI won’t replace humans. It’ll just make treasury processes smoother and more efficient—and I think we can all agree, that’s a win.

“Treasurers will not be replaced by robots!”

Related interview: As CEO and founder, I sat down with Arturo from Kantox, to discuss how treasury jobs are changing, whether automation will replace treasurers and more…

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