AI tools are becoming part of everyday work. They can speed up admin, help summarise information, and support forecasting. But like any tool, they work best when you understand what they’re good at – and where they fall short.
This newsletter gives a balanced view of how AI can help, what to watch out for, and what it means for the environment.
Where AI Really Helps
AI is at its best when it’s taking care of routine, time‑consuming tasks.
We’re seeing the most value in:
- extracting data from receipts and invoices
- summarising long guidance or policy documents
- producing first‑draft forecasts
- generating checklists, letters, or internal notes
- spotting unusual transactions or patterns
It’s a useful assistant — not a replacement for judgement.
A line we hear often (and agree with): “AI’s always right when I know nothing about a subject but often wrong when I do.”
That’s exactly why human review still matters.
Where AI Can Mislead
AI can sound confident even when it’s wrong.
Common pitfalls include:
- making up details that look plausible
- misunderstanding niche accounting rules
- giving generic answers to specific questions
- missing context that a human would spot instantly
This is why AI works best as a first draft, not a final answer.
The Environmental Impact – A Bit of Perspective
There’s a lot of discussion about the carbon footprint of AI.
A balanced view looks something like this:
- Yes, AI uses energy — mainly in data centres.
- But so does everything else we rely on: email, cloud storage, video calls, streaming, servers.
- Compared to transport, heating, and manufacturing emissions, AI is tiny.
- The biggest energy use happens during model training, not everyday use.
- Many data centres now run on renewable energy or are moving in that direction.
For most organisations, using AI tools has a negligible environmental impact compared to the efficiency gains.
A simple rule of thumb
- Use AI to speed up admin.
- Don’t rely on it for judgement.
- Treat it like a calculator: helpful, fast, but only as good as the person using it.
If you’d like help using AI safely and effectively in your finance processes, we’re always happy to advise.