Hackett Group Study Finds 5.6% Tech Spending Increase and AI Priority Rises to Fourth
The Hackett Group’s 2026 study finds finance workloads will grow 3.2% while headcounts drop 2.1% and budgets fall 1.7%, creating a 5.3% productivity gap. Leaders plan to boost tech spending by 5.6%, moving AI to the fourth finance priority from 16th with 33% of firms scaling AI in accounts payable.
1. Key Study Findings
The Hackett Group’s 2026 Finance Key Issues Study projects finance workloads rising 3.2% even as headcount falls 2.1% and budgets shrink 1.7%, resulting in a 5.3% productivity shortfall that is driving urgent calls for operational transformation.
2. Technology Spending and AI Prioritization
In response to the productivity gap, finance leaders intend to increase technology budgets by 5.6% in 2026, elevating AI implementation from the 16th to the fourth-ranked finance priority as they seek swift, measurable returns on existing vendor investments.
3. Process-Level AI Adoption
High-volume processes lead AI deployment, with 33% of organizations scaling AI in accounts payable and strong follow-through in travel and expense management; 19% have scaled AI for planning and forecasting and another 22% are piloting use cases for reporting and analysis.
4. Barriers to Adoption and Next Steps
Despite rapid deployment, 72% of respondents cite organizational resistance as the top transformation challenge and 77% identify a shortage of AI talent; success will hinge on aligning new skills, redesigned workflows and clear decision-making controls.