GrowCFO Show #245 Practical uses of AI in Finance Gilles Bonelli, Founder, CEO, SEE THE NEXT MOVE
In this episode of The GrowCFO Show, Kevin Appleby engages with Gilles Bonelli, Founder and CEO of SEE THE NEXT MOVE, to explore the practical applications of AI in finance beyond the hype. Gilles, with his extensive background in management consulting and digital transformation, established his startup to help finance leaders implement meaningful AI solutions. The conversation delves into how finance professionals can leverage AI effectively across various roles and processes, with Gilles introducing his company’s 30 role-specific AI finance playbooks designed to guide implementation with the support of AI-trained subject matter experts.
The discussion examines three primary families of AI use cases in finance: personal and team productivity enhancements, entirely new capabilities enabled by AI, and process optimization. Gilles emphasizes the importance of clean data for successful AI implementation, particularly in areas like forecasting, and advocates for a structured approach that considers both process and technology. The episode also addresses persistent challenges in finance transformation that have remained largely unchanged for 25 years, questioning whether AI truly offers solutions to longstanding issues like faster month-end closing and improved forecasting.
Key topics covered:
- Gilles Bonelli’s startup SEE THE NEXT MOVE cuts through AI hype by leveraging a 700-strong network of professionals to identify genuine use cases for finance functions
- AI applications in finance fall into three categories: productivity enhancement, enabling new capabilities, and process optimization
- Clean data is essential for successful AI implementation, particularly for advanced applications like forecasting
- AI is transforming traditional finance roles, creating opportunities for more strategic business partnering and sustainability focus
- Despite technological advances, many finance teams still struggle with the same challenges from 25 years ago, including month-end closing and forecasting
Links
Timestamps
- 0:09:48 Gilles introduces his startup SEE THE NEXT MOVE and its mission to cut through AI hype in finance
- 0:11:17 Explanation of how the company leverages its professional network to identify real AI use cases
- 0:38:26 Discussion on whether AI can solve longstanding finance challenges like faster month-end closing
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