As CFOs take point on leading enterprise AI strategy, new operating model guides Finance in rebuilding workforce, operations, and decision-making in the age of AI
ORLANDO, Fla., May 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- OneStream, the AI operating system for modern Finance that unifies core financial and operational processes, embedding the governance, context, and control required to make AI work for Finance, today announced the release of Forward Finance: The New Operating Model for Intelligent Organizations. Unveiled during the OneStream Splash User Conference, this blueprint defines how leading teams use AI, trusted data, and strong Finance–IT collaboration to guide better decisions, embed insight into day‑to‑day operations, and build teams ready to lead the business forward.
"Finance teams are no longer being asked simply to close the books faster — they're increasingly being asked to help steer the business," said Tim Minahan, Chief Strategy Officer at OneStream. "That shift is what led us to Forward Finance, an emerging operating model for what high-performing, AI-ready Finance organizations look like, shaped alongside hundreds of Finance teams, CFOs, industry experts, partners, and business leaders navigating these challenges in real time. By examining how leading teams are rethinking workforce strategies, decision-making, and operations around AI, this proven operating model is a CFO-day playbook to help Finance turn AI potential into real business outcomes."
"The CFO role has shifted from historical record-keeping to driving real-time enterprise strategy," said Glenn Hopper, Founder, RoboCFO.ai. "The blueprint outlines the operating model needed to navigate changing market dynamics. By capitalizing on real-time data and operational signals, CFOs unlock the agility required to steer the business forward."
Gartner predicts that global AI spending is projected to surpass $2 trillion and CFOs will increasingly shape enterprise strategy and AI execution. Yet many organizations remain constrained by fragmented systems, bad data, and operating models built for a pre-AI era.
According to OneStream's Data Governance research, 96% of executives view accurate, trusted data as important to their organization's success, yet nearly half (47%) admit to making a material business decision based on faulty data in the past year. These errors have cost 72% of organizations $500,000 or more. To bridge the gap between AI ambition and execution, the blueprint offers practical steps Finance leaders can take now to accelerate progress and future-proof the function.
Forward Finance is built on five core dimensions, expressed through leadership personas, describing how Finance operates at its best:
- Data Steward: Instills data transparency over perfection to build a foundation of trusted insight. It ensures every figure is auditable and traceable back to its source.
- AI Strategist: Elevates AI from experimentation to enterprise value. It builds foundational maturity by targeting high-impact workflows, governing data and tools, and proving value through clear KPIs.
- Chief Operator: Places Finance at the center of operational decision-making by fusing durable financial data with real-time operational signals. This ensures everyday decisions are anchored in commercial reality, strong governance, and measurable impact.
- IT Collaborator: Turns Finance-IT collaboration into a strategic alliance where both functions co-architect the digital agenda. This partnership focuses on shared ownership of AI platforms and building secure, scalable systems.
- Workforce Architect: Builds a human + AI workforce fit for the future. It reshapes talent strategies—from recruitment to role design—to prepare teams for an AI-enabled future.
To learn more, explore how the Forward Finance Blueprint comes to life here.
About OneStream
OneStream is the AI operating system for modern Finance, giving Finance what it needs to steer the business forward by unifying core financial close, planning and operational processes and data, in one intelligent platform, all embedded with the governance, context and control required to make AI work for Finance.
With over 1,800 customers, including 18% of the Fortune 500, a strong ecosystem of go-to-market, implementation, and development partners and 1,600 employees, we empower the Office of the CFO to become a critical driver of business strategy and execution. To learn more, visit onestream.com.
Media Contact
Jaclyn Proctor
Media Relations Contact
OneStream
media@onestreamsoftware.com
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SOURCE OneStream, Inc.
