Executive benchmark report · 2026
The AI-Ready F&O Organisation Benchmark 2026
A directional view of how Finance and Operations organisations are moving from AI experimentation to repeatable, governed value.
Executive summary
Access to AI is not the defining constraint. Organisational readiness is.
The early evidence points to data quality, measurable value, governance in practice and scarce cross-functional capability as the decisive factors separating visible AI activity from reliable operating outcomes.
83%
have not embedded AI into core processes
50%
cite data quality as a barrier
50%
struggle to demonstrate ROI
67%
expect D365 + Copilot expertise to be hard to source
0.80
AI maturity and scaling confidence correlation
Inside the report
A framework for measuring readiness—not activity
The report introduces the Stellance AI Readiness Index™ framework and connects the survey signals to a practical executive agenda.
Strategy & Value
Strategic alignment, use-case portfolios and benefits ownership.
Data Readiness
Quality, accessibility, ownership and fitness for priority use cases.
Governance & Trust
Risk-proportionate controls, oversight, privacy and accountability.
Technology & Delivery
Architecture, integration and disciplined lifecycle management.
People & Adoption
Capability, role clarity and the ability to embed AI into work.
Full publication
Read the evidence, caveats and action roadmap in full.
The 15-page report includes benchmark findings, the maturity model, correlation analysis, executive recommendations, methodology and the proposed Index scoring approach.
- Final Publication Edition · September 2026
- Published by Stellance in collaboration with Catch Group
- Clear limitations and responsible interpretation