{"id":22479,"date":"2026-06-17T18:09:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T16:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stocks-future.com\/?guid=55e3434eb5a2f2bcd350fc3453718375"},"modified":"2026-06-17T18:09:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T16:09:00","slug":"grant-thornton-survey-cfos-ramp-up-technology-investment-despite-record-low-economic-confidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/?p=22479","title":{"rendered":"Grant Thornton survey: CFOs ramp up technology investment despite record low economic confidence"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\u2014 Only 37% of CFOs are optimistic about the U.S. economy, a 20-quarter low\n<\/i>\u2014 67% expect inflation to increase in the next year\n<\/i>\u2014 42% expect M&A activity to increase\n<\/i>\u2014 67% expect to increase IT and digital transformation spending\n<\/i>\u2014 68% expect profits to grow over the next 12 months<\/i><\/p><\/a><\/a>

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new survey from Grant Thornton in the U.S. shows chief financial officers (CFOs) are accelerating technology investment even as economic confidence declines sharply.<\/p>

\nAccording to Grant Thornton\u2019s Q2 2026 CFO Survey<\/a>, just 37% of finance leaders are optimistic about the U.S. economy over the next six months, the lowest level recorded in the survey question\u2019s 20-quarter history. At the same time, 67% expect to increase IT and digital transformation spending, highlighting a growing disconnect between investment ambition and confidence in execution.<\/p>

\nDana Lance<\/a>, national Tax Solutions, Quality & Risk leader at Grant Thornton Advisors LLC, says finance leaders are balancing urgency with uncertainty.<\/p>

\n\u201cTariff uncertainty is creating challenges with supply chains, and the oil supply and war have created a lot of the economic uncertainty that we\u2019ve seen in recent weeks,\u201d Lance said.<\/p>

\nThe survey of nearly 240 finance leaders shows that pessimists now outnumber optimists, while confidence across key performance areas is weakening. Confidence in meeting supply chain needs fell to 43%, and fewer than half (42%) of respondents expressed confidence in meeting cost control goals.<\/p>

\nDespite these pressures, CFOs still expect their business to grow. In fact, 68% of finance leaders expect profits to increase over the next 12 months, only slightly down from the previous quarter<\/a>, as companies continue to invest in transformation initiatives and position themselves for long-term growth.<\/p>

\nTechnology investment rises as execution risk grows<\/b><\/p>

\nThe survey also highlights a widening gap between investment momentum and execution readiness. Nearly half of finance leaders (48%) now cite technology upgrades as a top priority, up 13 percentage points from last quarter.<\/p>

\n\u201cThese investments require disciplined oversight,\u201d said Mike Hennessey<\/a>, partner in Finance Modernization at Grant Thornton Advisors LLC. \u201cCFOs need clear processes to confirm return on investment and enforce accountability.\u201d<\/p>

\nAt the same time, organizations are encountering new challenges tied to the pace of AI adoption, leaving CFOs to navigate a central tension: sustaining investment momentum without compromising operational control.<\/p>

\n\u201cThis speed is creating pressure across controls, cybersecurity and compliance functions,\u201d Lance added. \u201cMany organizations are not ready to operate at that pace.\u201d<\/p>

\nAI drives efficiency gains, but value realization remains uneven<\/b><\/p>

\nCFO Survey data also shows that finance leaders are rapidly adopting AI, with 97% of organizations piloting, scaling or fully integrating it into their operations. Yet, according to Grant Thornton\u2019s AI Impact Survey<\/a>, many organizations are scaling AI faster than their governance, risk and control frameworks can keep pace \u2014 reinforcing the execution challenges CFOs are currently navigating.<\/p>

\nEven so, that adoption is driving measurable gains in areas such as forecasting, where AI is improving speed and accuracy by incorporating real-time external variables into business planning.<\/p>

\nThe challenge is translating those gains into scalable enterprise value. While 60% of finance leaders rank technology and AI-driven transformation among their top value creation priorities, many lack a disciplined approach to prioritizing and scaling initiatives.<\/p>

\n\"Clients are ready to tackle their challenges, but they know real competitive advantage won't come from back-office automation alone,\" said Mike Desmond<\/a>, Audit Growth leader at Grant Thornton LLP. \"The leaders pulling ahead are using AI to create new revenue opportunities and build innovative ways to grow.\u201d<\/p>

\nHowever, getting there takes focus. Too often organizations spread themselves thin across multiple AI pilots without clear prioritization, limiting their ability to deliver sustained value across the enterprise.<\/p>

\n\u201cWhen performance doesn\u2019t meet criteria at each stage, leaders need to make decisions based on metrics, not momentum,\u201d Desmond added.<\/p>

\nEconomic pressure intensifies focus on cost and resilience<\/b><\/p>

\nFinance leaders are navigating a volatile environment shaped by inflation, shifting trade policy and geopolitical disruption. Sixty-seven percent expect inflation to increase over the next 12 months, while a similar share \u2014 roughly 66% \u2014 report that tariffs, energy disruptions and supply chain challenges will have at least a moderate impact on their business.<\/p>

\nIn response, organizations are taking concrete steps to strengthen resilience. Sixty-seven percent of finance leaders report making at least moderate changes to cost and efficiency initiatives over the past 12 months.<\/p>

\nAt the same time, companies are adjusting their operating models to improve flexibility. According to the survey, 30% of finance leaders say they are using nearshoring in Latin America as part of their finance operating model as organizations look to reduce supply chain risk and respond more quickly to disruption.<\/p>

\nAI is also reshaping how organizations manage costs, shifting the focus from traditional cost control to cost intelligence by enabling faster insights and more precise, data-driven decision-making across the enterprise.<\/p>

\nM&A activity rebounds, but with tighter discipline<\/b><\/p>

\nThe Q2 survey also indicates a measured recovery in deal activity. Of those finance leaders polled, 42% expect M&A activity to increase over the next 12 months, though only a small share (11%) anticipate significant increases, reflecting a cautious approach after several slower years.<\/p>

\n\u201cThere is plenty of capital in the market, but buyers are being highly selective,\u201d said Paul Edwards<\/a>, practice lead with Grant Thornton Stax. \u201cRather than underwriting broad expansion, organizations are prioritizing targeted acquisitions that improve efficiency, add AI-enabled capabilities or create a clearer path to value creation. That is where buyer interest is strongest today. Organizational transformation through M&A is more difficult to underwrite.\u201d<\/p>

\nTo see additional findings from Grant Thornton\u2019s Q2 2026 CFO Survey, visit: https:\/\/www.grantthornton.com\/insights\/survey-reports\/cfo-survey\/2026\/cfos-lean-in-on-tech<\/a>.<\/p>

\nAbout Grant Thornton in the U.S.\n<\/b>Grant Thornton Advisors LLC provides non-attest offerings, including tax and advisory services. It is one of two specialized entities known collectively as Grant Thornton<\/a> in the US, alongside Grant Thornton LLP, a licensed, certified public accounting (CPA) firm that provides audit and assurance services.<\/p>

\nGrant Thornton LLP, Grant Thornton Advisors LLC and their respective subsidiaries operate as an alternative practice structure (APS). The APS conforms with applicable laws, regulations and professional standards, including those from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.<\/i><\/p>

\nGrant Thornton LLP is a CPA firm, while Grant Thornton Advisors LLC is not.<\/i><\/p>

\n\u201cGrant Thornton\u201d refers to the brand under which the member firms in the Grant Thornton International Ltd (GTIL) network provide services to their clients and\/or refers to one or more member firms. Grant Thornton LLP and Grant Thornton Advisors LLC serve as the U.S. member firms of the GTIL network. GTIL and its member firms are not a worldwide partnership and all member firms are separate legal entities. Member firms deliver all services; GTIL does not provide services to clients.<\/i><\/p> Contacts<\/b>

\nGina Mazzone\n<\/b>T<\/b> +1 312 602 9096\nE<\/b> gina.mazzone@us.gt.com<\/a>S<\/b> x.com\/grantthorntonus<\/a>linkedin\/grantthorntonus<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2014 Only 37% of CFOs are optimistic about the U.S. economy, a 20-quarter low
\n\u2014 67% expect inflation to increase in the next year
\n\u2014 42% expect M&A activity to increase
\n\u2014 67% expect to increase IT and digital transformation spending
\n\u2014 68% expect profi…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-infos-businesswire"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22479"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22479\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22480,"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22479\/revisions\/22480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}