About Session
Controllers are being asked to adopt AI, but most frameworks for evaluation are built for IT, not finance. First, this session gives controllers a practical lens for assessing emerging technology using four leadership quotients: EQ (how does this change my team’s work and morale?), IQ (does the analytical rigor hold up?), TQ (what’s the real technical lift to implement?), and AQ (how do we adapt when the tool doesn’t perform as promised).
Part of process which is becoming critical: How AI enables controllers to move from financial reporting to real-time intelligence
Most finance teams still learn they missed the number at close, weeks too late to act. AI is changing that: real-time ledgers, predictive forecasting and planning agents let finance see what’s coming while there’s still time to steer.
Learning Objectives
- Distinguish between AI that speeds up reporting and AI that improves decisions.
- Evaluate where planning, forecasting and AI-native accounting tools fit in a modern finance stack, and which use cases deliver measurable value.
- Apply governance, SOX and audit-trail guardrails, plus a playbook, to move AI from pilot to trusted, decision-grade insight.
Julia Kozlov leads finance, accounting, and operations as functional CFO at Intercare Therapy. She has been a speaker at AICPA, the World Finance Forum, Finance Alliance FP&A Summit, and across CFO leadership communities on AI strategy for finance executives.
Ravi Malhotra, CPA, CA, MBA, is VP Finance, HeartBeam, Inc. He serves on a CalCPA committee and advises the Silicon Valley chapter of the CFO Leadership Council. Ravi is a CPA and Chartered Accountant, and holds an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.