Artificial intelligence is moving from experimentation to the center of finance strategy. From automating back-office tasks to enabling predictive analytics, its applications promise greater speed, accuracy, and insight. However, as organizations rush to adopt these tools, many overlook the fact that the hardest part of the AI journey is not the software but the people who will use it. When finance leaders think about artificial intelligence, the discussion often jumps straight to technology. But the real challenge is human. “Not everybody is good with change and especially technology change,” says Dave Sackett, VP of Finance at Persimmon Technologies. “It’s really putting your team at ease, giving them resources, being a guide to walk them through the change, explaining why it’s important, giving them ownership in the AI project and encouraging them to learn and succeed.”
Sackett has been immersed in AI transformations for many years, both as a corporate finance leader and as an advisor to early stage companies such as ChatFin AI and Hyperbots. His track record spans blockchain, e-commerce, and finance automation, but what makes him stand out is his ability to translate complex technology into practical steps that finance teams can understand, adopt, and ultimately embrace.
Shifting From Resistance to Ownership
Resistance to AI is common, and it rarely fades by simply telling employees to adopt a new tool. Early in his career, Sackett admits he tried the “push” approach. “It wasn’t so successful,” he says. But that experience reshaped his philosophy. At Persimmon Technologies, Sackett is currently overseeing AI projects in accounts payable automation and purchase requisition approvals. Rather than hand down directives, he brings employees into user testing, troubleshooting, and vendor collaboration. “There’s more strategy involved in getting people to want the solution,” he says. “I inspire them to really want it themselves without pushing it on them.”
From Automation to Strategic AI
Sackett has implemented multiple AI projects, and he sees a clear progression in how the technology is evolving. Where earlier efforts focused on streamlining repetitive tasks, the next phase is about strategic support. “We’re at the age of agentic and generative AI,” Sackett says. “You’re using AI that can make its own decisions, can follow policy, can bring things to your attention, can coordinate different things.” He envisions finance departments soon relying on AI assistants that will prioritize emails, generate real-time analysis, and prepare reports ahead of critical meetings. What once sounded like science fiction is moving quickly toward reality. For finance professionals, this means their roles will shift. Instead of data entry, teams will manage automation and interpret AI-driven insights. “It’s elevating the position to something more valuable,” Sackett says. “You’re moving from a mindless job to a thinking and decision-making job.”
Practical Steps for Implementation
Attempting massive AI rollouts risks disrupting daily operations. To avoid this, Sackett advises starting small and carving out incremental time for AI projects while keeping day-to-day work on track. Success, in his view, comes from balancing practical implementation with an informed perspective on how AI is built and where it is headed. That balance requires treating implementation as a structured project plan with milestones, documentation, and checkpoints, while also committing time to AI education. “Get a basic understanding of how a machine learning works, how machine learning happens, where AI can outperform humans, and where it struggles.”
Preparing Finance for the Next Leap
Sackett’s conviction is that finance leaders who embrace AI will thrive, while those who ignore it risk falling behind. “People who are successful are using it, they know how to get value from it, they can improve their job,” he says. “People that keep going the old way are going to get left behind.” There are, however, real risks around governance, ethics, and cybersecurity that must be addressed in every adoption plan. Without them, the promise of AI can quickly turn into vulnerability. Still, his outlook remains optimistic. Finance, he points out, is inherently data-driven, making it the perfect proving ground for AI applications. “Finance is all numbers,” Sackett says. “That’s what AI can do—it can do the math, it can read numbers, it can read English, and really start putting it together.”
A Finance Futurist Who Builds Bridges
For Sackett, AI adoption is not about replacing people but about elevating them. His approach combines technical insight with servant leadership, aiming to empower finance teams to innovate and grow. It is this mix of futurist vision and practical guidance that positions him as one of the most credible voices on AI for finance today. Beyond his corporate role, Sackett advises early stage AI ventures, writes for the Forbes Finance Council, and delivers keynote talks on AI in finance. His passion is both professional and personal. “I find AI so helpful that I want to spread that everywhere,” he says. His mission is to help others avoid the mistakes he once made, and to share both the strategies that work and the lessons learned the hard way.
For more insights, connect with Dave Sackett on LinkedIn or visit his website.
