The AI Playbook for the Practical CFO: A Guide to Financial Automation, FP&A Transformation, and AI Implementation for Finance Leaders

This book on AI is for executives demanding measurable results, not PowerPoint promises. This practical guide cuts through the hype surrounding artificial intelligence in finance with battle-tested frameworks from a real-world CFO.Most AI books are written by consultants who've never defended an ROI calculation. Steven Taylor is a CFO who has. He's led many successful implementations, from automation of finance processes to financial forecasting machine learning, and he's sharing every lesson learned, including the expensive mistakes.The finance leader's reality: You can't ignore AI (competitors are already using it), but you can't chase hype (most AI initiatives fail). You need a CFO leadership strategy that moves fast enough to capture advantage but carefully enough to avoid seven-figure failures.Inside this book, you'll discover:Financial planning and analysis FP&A frameworks that work: Stop using vendor projections built on fantasy. Learn how to build business cases using conservative assumptions that actually hold up to board scrutiny, complete with templates covering all seven cost categories everyone else ignores.The Opportunity Identification Framework: Not every problem is an AI problem. Discover the systematic methodology for separating genuine ROI opportunities from expensive distractions, with real examples showing 180-588% three-year returns.Practical guide CFO transformation execution: From identifying quick wins (3-month pilots that prove value) to scaling production systems, you'll get the exact playbooks, stage-gates, and governance frameworks Steven used to transform his organisation without betting the farm.Digital transformation finance without the technical jargon: You don't need to understand neural networks. You need to know which AI implementation financial services approaches deliver results, how to select vendors without getting lost in demos, and how to measure ROI that drives continuous improvement.Generative AI business applications with discipline: Learn which use cases have proven ROI (invoice processing, demand forecasting, customer service automation) and which are still experimental. Every framework is backed by actual project data, costs, timelines, and measurable results.Risk management CFOs actually need: Governance frameworks for managing AI portfolios, responsible AI practices for ethics and bias, and change management strategies that drive adoption (because unused AI delivers zero ROI).This isn't theory. It's a playbook. Every framework has been used in real projects with real money. Every mistake warned against is one Steven made or witnessed. Every success pattern is based on actual results, not aspirational case studies.Who this book is for:CFOs and finance leaders responsible for AI investment decisionsCOOs and CEOs evaluating AI transformation initiativesBusiness executives who need to separate AI signal from noiseFinancial professionals seeking practical AI implementation guidanceWho this book isn't for: Data scientists looking for technical implementation details. This is for business leaders who need to make smart investment decisions and deliver measurable results.Stop wasting the budget on AI initiatives that sound impressive but deliver nothing. Learn the disciplined approach that turns artificial intelligence in finance from an expensive experiment into a sustainable competitive advantage. Read more