Episode 104: Audits, Automation, and AI: The Future of Financial Governance

Ahikam Kaufman06/12/2025

Artificial intelligence is reshaping every corner of business, but its impact on corporate finance is nothing short of transformative when done right. The conversation with Ahikam Kaufman, CEO of Safebooks AI, on the #shifthappens podcast uncovers the enormous potential AI holds for finance teams, alongside the critical considerations of compliance, risk, and culture that leaders can no longer ignore.

Ahikam’s Soundtrack of Shift is telling. He chose U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” — a song he connects to “the aspiration for a better tomorrow.” As he reflects: “I’d like to think the song talks about the aspiration for a better future… Today the future is changing at a faster pace than before. You can build companies faster, technologies faster, and our need, as entrepreneurs or business people, to remain current is more urgent than ever.”

That spirit of forward motion – urgent, thoughtful, and aspirational – runs through the entire conversation. AI isn’t a magic wand for finance. It’s a powerful, precision tool that requires discipline, respect for data integrity, and a clear strategy for adoption.

AI in Finance is a Huge Opportunity, but Caution Is Non-Negotiable

Finance teams sit on some of the most sensitive, highly regulated data in any company. Every transaction, every ledger entry can carry material risk if handled incorrectly. This is where AI’s promise meets its most stringent test.

Ahikam underscores a vital distinction: AI in finance shouldn’t “inject” or “manipulate” data. Instead, it acts like a copilot — validating numbers, flagging discrepancies, and automating compliance checks that traditionally drain time and resources.

The biggest gains come from automating validation processes across complex systems such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), billing, and payroll, among others. Automation reduces the manual grunt work that leads to human error and oversight. However, caution is crucial: the stakes are sky-high, and AI must operate with precision to maintain trust in financial reporting.

Getting AI Right Starts with Culture and Organizational Readiness

AI adoption in finance is not just a technology upgrade; it’s a cultural shift. Finance professionals often fear that automation threatens their roles, but the reality is the opposite: AI can relieve the overwhelming burden of repetitive, error-prone tasks.

There’s a well-documented talent shortage in accounting, and existing teams are stretched thin managing complex data governance. AI offers a bridge — handling the repetitive while empowering humans to focus on higher-value, strategic work.

Data Integrity and Compliance Are Crucial to Responsible AI Adoption

The modern finance ecosystem is fragmented. Most enterprises juggle multiple, disparate systems where financial data flows but don’t always synchronize perfectly. This fragmentation breeds risk — errors, inconsistencies, and compliance gaps that can go unnoticed until too late.

Ahikam shares how Safebooks’ AI models automatically reconcile millions of transactions daily to ensure data consistency and integrity across platforms. This automated validation is a convenience and a shield against serious financial missteps.

He cites the situation with Macy’s, where at the end of 2024 the company had to suspend its earnings release due to an accounting error. That kind of public stumble is exactly what finance leaders must guard against by leveraging AI’s ability to catch anomalies before they snowball into crises.

Trust and Risk Reduction Make or Break AI’s Role in Finance

One of the biggest challenges concerning AI is that it’s a black box prone to “hallucinations” — false or misleading outputs, especially common with generic generative AI models. Ahikam takes a different route to this at Safebooks: their AI is trained on the company’s own historical data, drastically reducing false positives.

This customized approach means AI becomes a robust defense mechanism, surfacing real risks and flagging fraud. Nowadays when fake documents and financial scams are increasingly sophisticated, AI’s vigilance is no longer a luxury but a necessity.

To see AI’s real-world impact in the industry, look at how Safebooks helped a client automate reconciliation across three complex systems: marketplace transactions, billing, and ERP data. What was once a tedious, spreadsheet-heavy process is now running automatically every day, surfacing only genuine anomalies. The result? Massive time savings, higher accuracy, and instant insights that enable faster decision-making.

Regulatory Pressure Is Intensifying — Getting Ahead is Crucial

Governments worldwide are cracking down on AI governance, with the U.S. Treasury’s guidance and the EU AI Act setting new bars for accountability. Further, the United Kingdom’s mandate requiring all board members to sign off on internal controls is a wake-up call.

Finance leaders can no longer treat compliance as a back-office checkbox. AI-driven automation will be essential to meet these demands efficiently and with rigor.

What Finance Leaders Must Do Now to Future-Proof Their Teams

Ahikam’s advice for finance teams is crystal clear:

• Automate document validation and transaction reviews within the next 12 to 24 months.

• Use AI proactively to detect and prevent fraud, including subtle internal fraud that often slips under the radar.

• Focus relentlessly on efficiency, accuracy, and comprehensive coverage.

• Let your human experts concentrate on strategy, judgment, and interpretation, while machines handle volume and repetition.

To achieve these goals, finance leaders must embrace the evolving role of AI in compliance and operations.

Trust Your Data Without the Guesswork

In the finance world, guesswork is a liability. AI doesn’t replace your accountants. It empowers them to spot risks and anomalies instantly, so your team can act with certainty, not speculation.

Stop Drowning in Spreadsheets

The days of manually combing through endless spreadsheets are over. With AI automating transaction reviews, your team keeps pace with business growth and sidesteps the burnout that comes from repetitive, error-prone work.

Stay Ahead of Rule Changes

Regulatory landscapes are shifting faster than ever and falling behind isn’t an option. AI-driven compliance tools catch gaps and inconsistencies before they escalate, keeping your operations audit-ready no matter how fast the rules evolve.

Free Up Time to Focus on What Matters

Routine checks shouldn’t consume your team’s best hours. By letting AI handle the heavy lifting, your finance experts can focus on strategy, insight, and the decisions that truly move your business forward.

Start Small, Scale Smart, and Safeguard Your AI

The safe path to AI in finance is to start small but think big. Automate the low-hanging, repetitive tasks that offer immediate ROI and build trust with your teams. Then scale out thoughtfully, always prioritizing data integrity, compliance, and cultural readiness.

Manual processes are no longer sustainable. As Ahikam puts it, “We can't do it manually today. It's just impossible.” With fragmented systems, increasing compliance pressure, and a shrinking accounting talent pool, AI isn’t just helpful: it’s essential. “The combination of the inability of the office of the CFO to be able to check the data because it's complex, and the fact that you have a talent shortage, and… increasing compliance requirements,” makes automation the strategic edge forward-thinking finance teams need.

Ahikam puts it plainly: “There was no other way.” Leaders who act now aren’t just keeping up; they’re setting the pace — building resilience and creating the conditions for faster decisions and smarter growth.

Episode Resources

#shifthappens Research: AI & Information Management Report#shifthappens Podcasts:

#shifthappens Podcast | Moving Beyond AI Hype to Responsible Implementation

#shifthappens Podcast | AI, Deepfakes, and Cybersecurity: Why Protection Must Come First

#shifthappens Podcast | AI in Accounting: Addressing Resistance to Adoption

US Department of Treasury AI Governance Guidance

EU AI Act

United Kingdom Corporate Governance Updates

Ahikam Kaufman on LinkedIn

Dux Raymond Sy on LinkedIn

Mario Carvajal on LinkedIn