Why AI prompt writing is the next core skill for finance

Good morning. Writing effective prompts for generative AI models is becoming a fundamental skill in finance that employers increasingly value.

In the past, finance and accounting resumes focused on CPA credentials, analytics, and technical experience, said Sundeep Reddy, EVP and chief accounting officer at Salesforce, during a panel session at Workday Rising in San Francisco on Wednesday. “Now, it’s shifting to: How have you used AI? What are your prompting skills? Have you written prompt scripts for agentic AI?” he said.

Salesforce employees are being trained not just to adopt AI agents, but also to write precise prompts. “You’re not coding—you’re writing plain English instructions,” Reddy said. “It takes trial and error to find the right level of detail for querying.”

Reddy, a former auditor, emphasized the importance of controls and validation: “Is this grounded? Is this auditable?” He recommended a “gut check” when reviewing AI outputs, and he encouraged iterative prompt refinement for accuracy and reliability.

A recent study, “As Generative Models Improve, People Adapt Their Prompts,” describes a large-scale experiment with 1,893 participants. The research found that only half of the performance gains achieved by switching to a more advanced AI model were due to the model itself; the other half came from users adapting their prompts to take advantage of its capabilities.

Prompt engineering is foundational, Tommy Schroeder, managing director at Accenture, said during the panel session led by Julie Gonzalez, SVP of finance at Workday (a CFO Daily sponsor). Embedding critical thinking into prompt writing is essential to maximize AI’s value, Schroeder said.

Critical thinking remains key in finance as professionals work with both people and AI agents, said Justin Junkel, EVP of global technology, operations and finance at Pinnacle Group. He sees this as an extension of the skill evolution that began with early AI technologies like machine learning and RPA, but managing agentic AI introduces new challenges.

Schroeder highlighted the importance of understanding AI frameworks in finance, which accelerates prototyping, experimentation, and ongoing improvement.

“Encouraging experimentation is something we’re driving in our organization,” Reddy added, “and I want to see those skills in new hires.”

Sheryl Estrada
sheryl.estrada@fortune.com

Leaderboard

Robert "Bob" R. Foley, CFO of TPG RE Finance Trust, Inc. (NYSE: TRTX), has decided to retire from TPG at the end of the year. He will become a senior advisor to TPG’s real estate credit business and will transition his day-to-day duties to Brandon Fox, TRTX’s chief accounting officer (CAO), who will assume the role of interim CFO, effective October 1. Fox has served as CAO since January 2022.

Jeff White was appointed CFO and treasurer of Leslie’s, Inc. (Nasdaq: LESL), a direct-to-customer brand in the U.S. pool and spa care industry, effective October 5. White succeeds Tony Iskander, who notified the company on August 15 of his resignation from his position as interim CFO and treasurer, effective October 4. Most recently, White served as CFO for Sportsman’s Warehouse, where he led initiatives including rebuilding FP&A. He was previously an audit manager at KPMG LLP.

Big Deal

Combined operating expenses for nonfinancial U.S. companies rated by S&P Global rose in the second quarter, resuming a cyclical increase that may peak by year-end, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Total operating expenses climbed to $3.781 trillion in Q2, up from $3.666 trillion in the previous quarter. This was the second-highest figure on record, just below the $3.821 trillion logged in Q4 2024.

Operating expenses include employee compensation, facility rent, equipment, supplies, and other noncapital costs. These costs typically increase throughout the year, peaking in the fourth quarter before dropping in the first. However, companies continue to face elevated producer prices, reflecting ongoing concerns about tariffs and inflation above the Federal Reserve's target level, according to the report.

Going deeper

"Markets got what they wanted from Powell with a Fed rate cut and they’re still not happy" is a Fortune report by Eleanor Pringle.

From the report: "Wall Street at last got its long-awaited cut to the base rate yesterday with Fed chairman Jerome Powell confirming interest would be reduced by 25bps. So this morning, markets are celebrating, right? Wrong. The context of Powell’s cut didn’t come with the footnotes analysts would like to see. Ideally, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) cuts because they are on track to bring inflation back to its target of 2%, or because the economy is healthy enough that it can withstand increased activity—a signal of greater prosperity to come. What spectators don’t want to see is a cut prompted by concern over the Fed’s mandate: Stable prices and maximum employment. Powell described the FOMC’s decision as the latter, a 'risk management' cut motivated by apprehension as opposed to confidence." You can read more here.