{"id":25916,"date":"2024-10-28T08:25:54","date_gmt":"2024-10-28T12:25:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=25916"},"modified":"2025-04-24T10:54:30","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T14:54:30","slug":"budget-for-ai-adoption-cfos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/budget-for-ai-adoption-cfos\/","title":{"rendered":"How to budget for AI adoption: Tips for CFOs"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/category\/strategy-legal-operations\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Strategy, Legal &amp; Operations<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to budget for AI adoption: Tips for CFOs\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2024-10-28T08:25:54-04:00\">October 28, 2024<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"How to budget for AI adoption: Tips for CFOs\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/budget-for-ai-adoption-cfos\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/author\/staceymcintosh\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/11\/Stacey-McIntosh-350-1.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" height=\"40\" width=\"40\" fetchpriority=\"high\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Stacey McIntosh<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Budgeting for artificial intelligence (AI) adoption can be a tricky business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rapid technological evolution and vast numbers of emerging applications create deep uncertainties in cost-benefit analyses and return on investment (ROI) forecasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CFOs say it can feel like trying to hit a moving target while blindfolded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Research into ROI from AI hasn\u2019t always been helpful either, with results varying enormously, from 5% to 350%, according to two recent studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lack of clarity around the realistic calculations involved is becoming a pressing concern for finance leaders, especially given the pressure to deliver AI innovations with <a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.ibm.com\/2024-01-10-Data-Suggests-Growth-in-Enterprise-Adoption-of-AI-is-Due-to-Widespread-Deployment-by-Early-Adopters\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">59% of companies planning to increase rollout or investment in AI<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s delve into the challenges of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-US\/accounting-software\/spend-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">spend management<\/a> and budgeting for AI with tips for solving them from CFOs, tech heads, and other experts who\u2019ve learnt from experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what we cover:<\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-laser-focus-on-business-priorities\" data-level=\"2\">Laser focus on business priorities<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-take-small-agile-steps\" data-level=\"2\">Take small, agile steps&hellip;<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-but-build-a-longer-term-view\" data-level=\"2\">&hellip;But build a longer-term view<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-2-big-challenges-data-and-refinement\" data-level=\"2\">2 big challenges: Data and refinement<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-soft-costs-are-essential\" data-level=\"2\">Soft costs are essential<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-plan-ongoing-governance\" data-level=\"2\">Plan ongoing governance<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-flexibility-is-key\" data-level=\"2\">Flexibility is key<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-final-thoughts-on-budgeting-for-ai\" data-level=\"2\">Final thoughts on budgeting for AI<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">AI: The opportunity for CFOs<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>How finance leaders can realise the potential for integrated AI tools<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-5abd9ea6-48b8-4ad6-aaa7-74124bcc797c\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1214\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/AI-e-book-The-Opportunity-for-CFOs-1214x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"A woman views her mobile phone while working in a modern office.\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/AI-e-book-The-Opportunity-for-CFOs-1214x810.jpg 1214w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-laser-focus-on-business-priorities\">Laser focus on business priorities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Start your budgeting process by aligning the AI project as clearly as possible with business goals such as efficiency, growth, and increased competitiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This helps avoid spending on unnecessary bells and whistles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Leo Smigel, founder of algorithmic trading firm Analyzing Alpha, has navigated the complexities of AI adoption and says: \u201cI\u2019ve seen unclear objectives lead to resources getting wasted. Not all AI delivers equal value or will impact your specific goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSo prioritize tools based on your expected ROI.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-take-small-agile-steps\">Take small, agile steps\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Christoph Cemper, founder and CEO of prompt management platform AIPRM, says: \u201cThe field is evolving incredibly fast, so it\u2019s hard to predict where things will be even a year from now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBut in my experience, an exploratory, iterative approach is key. Take it step-by-step rather than trying to forecast and budget for every possible application from day one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cStarting with a small pilot or proof-of-concept focused on a single use provides a low-risk way to gather data and build the business case for larger investments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As AI is so potentially disruptive, Christoph recommends benchmarking potential value against competitors who are already using it, rather than against your historical performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Leo recommends an agile approach that includes plans for regular check-ins and adjustments, and using cheap or free resources where possible to keep costs down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe open-source ecosystem has awesome free solutions, so use them to avoid licensing fees,\u201d he says. \u201cI remember one stock-trading AI project where we underestimated data needs and training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHowever, taking an agile approach, we corrected the course with open-source tools and got a high-value solution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Joe Scarboro, CFO at Replan Technology, says if you are starting to explore AI, the best way to start budgeting for it is to allocate a general fund for experimentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you embark on a longer cost\/benefit exercise for each application, the potential ROI will likely be out of date by the time you finish,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cInstead, build a fundamental framework for AI experimentation, with a budget attached. Aim to prove how AI can benefit a process or department conceptually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOnce you have that, you can see what a larger roll-out might look like, and get a better picture of overall benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-but-build-a-longer-term-view\">\u2026But build a longer-term view<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Initially, your budget will likely focus on short-term goals. But don\u2019t ignore AI\u2019s longer-term <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwc.com\/gx\/en\/issues\/data-and-analytics\/publications\/artificial-intelligence-study.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">transformative potential<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, how could this project:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Amplify human capabilities across the organisation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open new revenue opportunities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enhance competitiveness in future?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Alistair Brisbourne, head of technology at the Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants (ACCA), says: \u201cTo avoid opportunity costs, especially around efficiency gains, CFOs can take a long-term perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis might include a range of additional considerations, such as solution scalability, employee morale, performance management, and growth opportunities versus cost reduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWith the pace of development, it is important that any tools you implement can be adapted for future advancements and challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Branson Knowles, head of US digital banking at Top Mobile Banks, says: \u201cI\u2019ve grappled with forecasting costs and returns for AI initiatives time and again. Cracking the code is possible if you take a holistic approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOnce you\u2019ve aligned investments with strategic priorities, you need a realistic cost-benefit analysis examining everything from solution costs to computing resources and employee training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBe pragmatic about immediate costs and returns, but keep a long-term lens on how AI can shape your future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGo beyond ROI projections to convey AI\u2019s powerful transformational potential. It requires foresight as much as spreadsheet mastery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOnce, when proposing an AI virtual assistant, the numbers alone weren\u2019t an immediate slam dunk. However, I sold the idea by showing how it could revolutionize our customer experience and position us as true innovators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYears later, that AI assistant has delivered on its promise many times over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-big-challenges-data-and-refinement\">2 big challenges: Data and refinement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Factoring data management into your AI cost-benefit analysis is critical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Data quality is essential for AI efficacy, so you\u2019ll need to budget for cleaning, normalising, and cataloguing it ready for AI processing, and for continuous data maintenance and storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll need to budget for refinements to the overall model too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Steven Kibbel, financial planner and editor at investment website Day Tradingz, says: \u201cI\u2019ve grappled with the unique challenges of budgeting for AI projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEarly in my career, I underestimated needs like data labelling, and testing and refinement. This led to budget overruns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThankfully, I\u2019ve learned much since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNow, I recommend CFOs account for data management, testing, refinement, feedback, and reworks. Gathering, cleaning, and annotating datasets for AI model training requires massive resources that elongate timelines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBuild generous budgets and set realistic expectations around making data operational.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Steven also recommends allocating funds for user feedback loops and reworks over at least 12 to 24 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNumerous iterations are typically required as AI systems interact with real users and conditions,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\"><span class=\"text-ai-highlighted\">Sage Ai<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Discover how you can use Sage Ai to make smarter, faster decisions, get a dynamic, real-time view of your business performance, and gain access to actionable insights.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-ai\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tid=\"cta-id-22186\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-button-location=\"cta_box\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Learn more about Sage Ai<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1215\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1386923772-1215x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1386923772-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-soft-costs-are-essential\">Soft costs are essential<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s critical not to overlook \u2018soft\u2019 costs, such as training, change management and user adoption, in your budget as these can make or break the success of an AI rollout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Christoph says he always advocates for building these costs into budgets explicitly, even if they don\u2019t show up on traditional ROI spreadsheets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFailing to plan for enabling people and processes can derail even the most promising AI technology,\u201d he says. \u201cSoft costs are the secret sauce for long-term AI success, and with the right process, the payoff can be immense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Steven says user adoption, retraining personnel, and workflow adjustments create significant change management costs that are often underestimated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cProper change planning is paramount for ongoing budgets,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Joe adds that people will likely perceive new AI as a potential threat to their role. So if your innovation culture does not consider the human element, even the best budgeting processes and ROI analyses will fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, AI moves fast, but organisational change generally does not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So Joe suggests phased rollouts to give people time to acclimatize, rather than reject the new solution outright \u2013 even though this can delay the benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, finding skilled AI engineers and data scientists capable of overseeing projects takes time and money. Competitive compensation is key for project success and budget predictability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But factor in that skilled scientists and well-trained users will accelerate adoption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Leo says: \u201cIt takes a village to do AI adoption right, so mix cross-functional skills \u2013 including areas like data, user experience, and compliance \u2013 and diverse perspectives in your team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-plan-ongoing-governance\">Plan ongoing governance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many companies <a href=\"https:\/\/riskonnect.com\/press\/riskonnect-research-generative-ai-risks-with-employees\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">don\u2019t yet have adequate measures<\/a> in place to handle the potential risks of AI, such as around accuracy, privacy, and copyright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s essential for CFOs to understand these risks and allocate resources to address them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dedicate part of your budget to ongoing monitoring, assurance, and governance of AI systems to support compliance with current or future potential regulations, ethical standards, and alignment with organisational values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-flexibility-is-key\">Flexibility is key<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Michael Dinich, founder of personal finance website Wealth of Geeks, says in his experience of budgeting for AI projects, the most important thing is to stay flexible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve learned not to get too attached to projections because requirements and capabilities tend to shift faster than you expect,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI try to make conservative initial cost and benefit estimates. Then I revisit those estimates often as we move through pilot projects and refine our approach.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also important to involve stakeholders from across the business in the budgeting process. Getting input from operations, IT, and users helps build certainty by spotting potential risks and unseen costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus it grows support for any changes to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEven with the best analysis, there will be uncertainties when adopting new technologies like AI,\u201d says Michael.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBut by taking a flexible, collaborative approach to budgeting, and focusing on enabling resources, I\u2019ve been able to move forward strategically.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts-on-budgeting-for-ai\">Final thoughts on budgeting for AI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Setting accurate budgets for AI projects can feel like navigating a dense fog \u2013 the path seems to keep shifting as the technology evolves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the points covered in this article should help you move towards de-risking budgets and forecasting potential returns on investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While uncertainties remain, a thoughtful approach to data, skills, testing, governance and change management can help you make forecasting more reliable, so your business can reap the transformational benefits of AI technologies with minimal waste.<\/p>\n \n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">AI: The opportunity for CFOs<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>How finance leaders can realise the potential for integrated AI tools<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-5abd9ea6-48b8-4ad6-aaa7-74124bcc797c\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1214\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/AI-e-book-The-Opportunity-for-CFOs-1214x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"A woman views her mobile phone while working in a modern office.\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/AI-e-book-The-Opportunity-for-CFOs-1214x810.jpg 1214w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Accurate budgeting for artificial intelligence (AI) adoption can be tricky but it&#8217;s possible. Read these tips from CFOs and other experts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":346,"featured_media":25026,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44,49],"tags":[145,170,427,396],"business_type":[41],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[100],"imagine_tag":[488,468,233,471],"coauthors":[587],"class_list":["post-25916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-strategy-legal-operations","category-trends-insights","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-business-strategy","tag-cfo","tag-cfo-3-0","business_type-growing-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-us","author_name":"Stacey McIntosh","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/BrandShootLDN_Jul2022_TechSoftware_0285.jpg","imagine_tags":{"488":"AI Hub","468":"Grow your business","233":"Medium Businesses","471":"SaaS"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice US","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/346"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25916"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25916\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/25026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25916"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=25916"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=25916"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=25916"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=25916"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=25916"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=25916"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=25916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}