Dear AI, Where’s the Money? 🧮

CFOs Start Asking the Hard Questions

Author

Vanessa Carter
July 30, 2025

In partnership with

Big investors are buying this “unlisted” stock

When the founder who sold his last company to Zillow for $120M starts a new venture, people notice. That’s why the same VCs who backed Uber, Venmo, and eBay also invested in Pacaso.

Disrupting the real estate industry once again, Pacaso’s streamlined platform offers co-ownership of premier properties, revamping the $1.3T vacation home market.

And it works. By handing keys to 2,000+ happy homeowners, Pacaso has already made $110M+ in gross profits in their operating history.

Now, after 41% YoY gross profit growth last year alone, they recently reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.

Hey there, CFOs! 💼

Welcome to this week’s edition! AI promises big returns—but are those expectations grounded in reality? This week, we’re diving into the growing gap between AI optimism and actual ROI, and why finance leaders are shifting from hype to hard strategy.

From setting clear metrics to managing full lifecycle costs, it’s no longer just about deploying AI—it’s about making it count.

📰 Upcoming in this issue

  • 💼 KPMG’s Atif Zaim on CFO Challenges, the 150‑Hour Rule & Leading with Intention

  • 🤖 Putting AI Revenue Potential in Perspective: A CFO’s Guide

  • ⚙️ As the Economy Improves, CFOs Refocus on Productivity

💼 KPMG’s Atif Zaim on CFO Challenges, the 150‑Hour Rule & Leading with Intention

In a candid CFO.com interview, KPMG’s Deputy Chair Atif Zaim shares how mid-market CFOs navigate tech‑driven decision‑making, evolving CPA pathways, and maintaining balance amid soaring responsibilities.

Key Takeaways:

  • 📊 Data + Tech + Talent = Better Decisions: CFOs need fit-for-purpose systems, richer data, and skilled teams (especially in AI) to accelerate strategic decision-making.

  • 🔄 Communicate the “Why” Repeatedly: When introducing change—new tech or hybrid work—leaders must use multiple channels to explain purpose and sustain motivation.

  • 🎓 Reforming the 150‑Hour CPA Rule: KPMG champions alternative paths—120 credits plus two years of work—to attract talent earlier and enhance real-world accounting tech fluency.

  • 👪 Balancing Leadership & Family: Zaim credits open family dialogue to align professional ambition with personal life, delegate effectively, and make the role sustainable.

🤖 Putting AI Revenue Potential in Perspective: A CFO’s Guide

AI is shifting from pilot projects to core capital investments—but realizing its revenue promise requires rigorous metrics, disciplined costs, and tight governance.

Key Takeaways:

  • 💡 Embed Clear ROI Metrics: CFOs must define adoption and attribution benchmarks before AI rollouts to separate reality from hype.

  • 📈 Track Revenue, Not Just Hype: AI’s promise of personalized sales and churn reduction needs measurable tracking and real-world validation.

  • ⚠️ Watch the Hidden Costs: Beyond initial investments, factor in expenses like retraining, compliance, monitoring, and infrastructure.

  • 🛠️ Invest in Data Foundations: Reliable data pipelines and governance frameworks are essential—poor data quality undermines AI outcomes.

⚙️ As the Economy Improves, CFOs Refocus on Productivity

With inflation easing, lifting productivity has become CFOs' top focus to catalyze sustainable growth and operational excellence.

Key Takeaways:

  • 📈 Productivity as Growth Catalyst: As economic headwinds fade, CFOs prioritize productivity to support long-term growth.

  • 🧩 Strategic Alignment Required: Productivity initiatives must integrate people, finances, and technology seamlessly.

  • 🤖 Tech & AI Enablement: Leveraging advanced automation and AI is essential for enhancing efficiency and cutting manual tasks.

  • 🤝 Collaboration Drives Results: Cross-functional partnerships across IT, HR, and operations are critical to embedding productivity into organizational culture.

Why It Matters

As the excitement around AI continues to build, the real differentiator won’t be who adopts it first—but who does it wisely. For finance leaders, the challenge ahead is clear: move beyond experimentation and build strategies that tie AI investments to measurable, lasting value.

The future belongs to those who balance ambition with accountability.

Vanessa Carter
Editor-in-Chief
CFO Executive Insights

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