It was something that thought leaders couldn’t say enough throughout Workiva’s Amplify conference: Good data is paramount for effective AI implementation.

“Bad data is AI’s kryptonite,” Alexander Davis, deputy CFO of Pie Insurance, said during a panel session. “If your organization is all-in on AI and you’re not all-in on data, you might have a problem one day. And I think a lot of folks in this room are used to sitting in meetings where data security is the topic, and I wish that collectively, we sat in rooms and worried about data quality at the same level.”

It seems many companies aren’t in a good place yet with their data. According to a recent Workiva survey, nearly two-thirds of practitioners indicated a lack of “high-quality data” for use with AI at their organizations. Practitioners who were confident in their companies’ ability to use AI were about twice as likely to have high-quality data and role-specific training compared to their less-confident counterparts.

Steve Soter, VP and industry principal at Workiva, said he was seeing those concerns about data, among other things like governance and controls, come out in conversations he was having with others at the Amplify conference.

“Yes, they’re optimistic about [AI]. Yes, they’re excited about it. But there are real challenges,” he told CFO Brew on day two of the conference.

Davis recommended companies “invest in fixing their source systems,” which can happen as they adopt AI tools—a time-consuming task on its own.

Click here for more on getting good data.—AZ

The quarterly earnings report may be no more if President Trump has his way. The president posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Monday that public companies should only have to report their earnings every six months instead of quarterly, as they have for over 50 years.

“This will save money, and allow managers to focus on properly running their companies,” Trump claimed in his post.

The idea to end quarterly reporting has gained some traction. According to the Wall Street Journal, “current SEC leadership has signaled an interest in reducing regulation” and the Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE), an exchange focused on encouraging long-term business goals, is planning to submit a proposal to the SEC to end quarterly reporting.

“We hear a lot about how it’s overly burdensome to be a public company,” Bill Harts, the exchange’s CEO, told the Wall Street Journal last week. “This is an idea whose time has come.”

The LTSE recently wrote in a statement that the focus on quarterly reporting, and the pressure to meet short term metrics, encourages short-term thinking at the expense of long-term value creation.

Are quarterly earnings toast?—DA

AI may promise long-term efficiencies for your business, but enterprises tiptoeing into the arena (or “AI leapers” diving right in) can’t be too careful. Deploying AI tools is like peeling an onion; there’s layer upon layer to contend with, and without care, you’ll end up in tears.

According to a new report, 80% of enterprises are missing their AI infrastructure forecasts by more than 25%. The “2025 State of AI Cost Management” report, published by consulting firm Benchmarkit and cost governance platform Mavvrik, also finds 84% of companies see over 6% gross margin erosion due to AI infrastructure costs.

“These numbers should rattle every finance leader,” Benchmarkit CEO Ray Rike said. “AI is no longer just experimental—it’s hitting gross margins, and most companies can’t even predict the impact.”

Margin compression emerges as a real risk, and the catalysts for this fit into a few specific buckets:

• Hidden costs: The top-ranking is data platform usage (56%), followed by networking charges (52%).
• Visibility gaps: Most companies (94%) say they track costs, but only 34% have mature cost management.
• AI repatriation:​​ Only 35% include on-premises AI costs in reporting.

Read Revenue Brew’s story on understanding AI costs here.—LI

Theranos’ downfall shows what happens when financial oversight disappears. CFOs, boards, and internal audits are vital for spotting risks and preventing fraud. Learn how weak governance and lack of financial leadership can jeopardize a company—and why ethical practices, strong controls, and engaged boards are non-negotiable for finance professionals managing high-stakes environments.