AI ROI benchmark · Finance and accounting
Finance and accounting AI ROI benchmark
A narrow model for variance explanations, policy lookup, and document preparation with human reconciliation retained.
Modeled result
This is a planning scenario, not a market average. Replace every input before making a purchase decision.
| Current labor on the workflow | 500 hours/month |
|---|---|
| Loaded labor cost | $55/hour |
| Share suitable for AI assistance | 25% |
| Productivity lift on that share | 15% |
| Savings realized in practice | 50% |
| Software and usage cost | $500/month |
Monthly gross value = current hours × loaded cost × addressable share × productivity lift × realization rate. Net value subtracts software cost. Capacity has value only if the business can redeploy it, avoid new cost, or produce more useful work.
Run your own numbersWhere to use it
Good pilot candidates
- Draft variance commentary from reconciled numbers
- Retrieve policy language with citations
- Prepare document request and close checklists
Keep a human decision
- Post journal entries without controls
- Approve payments, tax positions, or financial statements
Evidence and limits
No cited study directly establishes an accounting ROI benchmark. The 15% modeled lift is a planning assumption for text-heavy work, not an observed accounting result.
- Generative AI in Real-World WorkplacesMicrosoft Research · Published 2024-07-31
A set of randomized field experiments across more than 6,000 workers found AI access increased document editing but did not establish a universal company-level ROI.
- Navigating the Jagged Technological FrontierHarvard Business School working paper; later published in Organization Science 37(2) · Published 2023-09-15
A field experiment with 758 consultants found faster, higher-quality work inside the model capability frontier and worse accuracy on a task outside it.
Read the full methodology, compare the other function benchmarks, or test a 30-day pilot against your own baseline.