This Week in B2B: Central Bank Best Practices, AI Agents, FinTech Innovation 

The future of corporate finance is shifting from reactive to predictive, and that’s great news for B2B innovation.This rapid and ongoing shift toward advancements in digitization, real-time payments and next-generation tools such as artificial intelligence (AI)-powered forecasting is redefining how businesses manage core operational elements like liquidity and working capital. For chief financial officers (CFOs) and treasurers, the question is no longer if they should embrace innovation but how quickly they can implement solutions that enhance financial resilience.As uncertainty persists, tomorrow’s corporate giants won’t just be the ones with the biggest balance sheets — they’ll be the ones with the smartest financial infrastructure and operational toolkit.CFOs Say Back Office Is Primed for AI and Automation CFOs are increasingly recognizing AI and automation as key drivers of efficiency in finance operations. With manual processes slowing down decision-making and compliance efforts, AI-powered tools are transforming functions like accounts payable (AP), accounts receivable (AR) and treasury management.In an era where data drives every aspect of business, CFOs must harness advanced analytics, automation and AI to unlock valuable insights and streamline processes, Andrew Casey, recently appointed CFO at Amplitude, told PYMNTS during a discussion for the PYMNTS series “A Day in the Life of a CFO.”“Operational CFOs can bring to bear the necessary focus around driving scale and building processes,” Casey said.That’s echoed by findings in the PYMNTS Intelligence report “Window of Opportunity: Gaining AR Transparency Through Automation,” which revealed that by adopting digital and automated processes, companies can close visibility gaps and build stronger relationships with suppliers and customers. More than three-quarters of surveyed CFOs (77%) said that AR automation improves invoice tracking, for example.“The majority of manufacturers are considering AI in the near future. The momentum is undeniable,” Geoff Brannon, CFO at Rootstock Software, told PYMNTS during another episode of “A Day in the Life of a CFO.”According to Brannon, AI agents are being embedded within ERP products to automate administrative tasks such as inventory procurement and payments.“The technology is advancing quickly,” he said. “It’s exciting to see how it’s transforming industries traditionally tied to legacy systems.”The marketplace is responding to the notion of AI agents already. On Tuesday (Jan. 28), WiseLayer announced it had raised $7.2 million to continue developing its own task-specific AI agents designed for finance and accounting teams. WiseLayer’s “digital workforce” includes six agents specializing in accruals and revenue recognition; discrepancies and financial anomalies; bank reconciliations; fixed asset depreciation and amortization; lease accounting; and prepaid expenses.The Maturation of the FinT