In this episode of Planning Aces, co-hosts Jack Sweeney and Brett Knowles spotlight the FP&A strategies and AI adoption journeys of three CFOs—Gillian Munson (Vimeo), Dan Fletcher (Planful), and Chad Gold (FullStory). Each finance leader discusses how AI is reshaping their planning processes, from accelerating automation and revenue generation to transforming cross-functional collaboration. Brett introduces a framework for evaluating AI ROI across three dimensions: operating cost reduction, risk mitigation, and revenue generation. The episode reveals how FP&A teams are becoming catalysts for AI-driven change, extending their influence and helping to architect new organizational efficiencies and data-driven decision-making.
Brett Knowles’ Key Takeaways
Brett Knowles breaks down AI ROI into three core FP&A dimensions: operating cost reduction, risk mitigation, and revenue growth. He emphasizes that finance leaders must move beyond vague “efficiency” talk and instead classify AI benefits clearly to measure them effectively. Brett also highlights the evolving role of FP&A as internal evangelists, helping organizations reframe problems and discover value in unexpected places—sometimes even generating “aha moments” that reveal strategic opportunities previously outside traditional planning models.
Gillian Munson of Vimeo shared how her team is leveraging AI both to increase operational speed and drive new revenue opportunities. She highlighted Vimeo’s new translation offering, which uses AI to localize videos and is monetized on a consumption basis. Munson also underscored the importance of carving out time for FP&A teams to architect future-facing tools, rather than remaining reactive. Her team emphasizes transparency and testing to ensure AI tools are trusted and understood, not treated as black boxes.
Dan Fletcher of Planful emphasized the importance of measuring the ROI of AI investments in real, trackable terms. He advised finance leaders to define desired outcomes upfront and implement systems to measure progress, especially around efficiency and decision-making. Fletcher also revealed how product usage metrics have become central to his strategic decision-making and budget conversations with the CTO. His comments illustrate the increasing alignment between finance and product functions, reinforcing the growing role of finance in guiding company-wide AI strategies.
Chad Gold of FullStory described how his company has adopted a structured approach to AI learning through a tiered framework: AI 101, 201, and 301. This model helps build foundational knowledge, functional use cases, and eventually cross-functional AI agents. He shared how collaboration with IT led to the development of an AI agent for revenue recognition, accelerating contract analysis. Gold’s comments highlight how empowering cross-department teams to explore AI in practical ways fosters broader innovation and adoption across the enterprise.
Strategic Mindset: Commonalities and Differences
What our Planning Aces share in common:
- All three CFOs emphasize AI’s role in improving operational efficiency, often starting with internal finance use cases.
- Each sees FP&A as a strategic enabler, not just a reporting function, and is focused on ensuring their teams understand and trust AI tools.
- They all underscore the importance of measuring outcomes—whether it’s speed, revenue lift, or decision-making quality—to evaluate AI’s impact.
How our Planning Aces differ:
- Munson leans toward monetizing AI features externally (e.g., translation tools), highlighting revenue generation.
- Gold focuses on internal enablement and structured learning, with IT and finance jointly developing tools like revenue recognition agents.
- Fletcher zeroes in on product usage analytics and direct alignment with R&D and CTO teams, suggesting a deeper integration between finance and product strategy.