A new study has revealed a growing gap in AI readiness between student finance graduates and senior professionals, raising concerns about the profession’s ability to keep pace with rapid technological change.

The research, carried out by enterprise finance platform OneStream, surveyed more than 2,500 current finance professionals and students across the UK and US. It found that while nearly nine in ten finance students believe they are equipped to use AI in their work, that confidence drops to 63% among early-career professionals and just 54% among those with more than a decade of experience.

The findings point to a skills divide that is not just generational but also increasingly gendered. Although female students are keen to embrace AI, just 12% expect to rely on it heavily in their careers, compared with 68% of male students. Only 65% of female students feel confident using AI at work, while 93% of male students say the same.

In the workplace, men are also ahead on usage. Seventy-one percent of male professionals say they already use AI at least somewhat often, compared with 61% of women. Among younger finance professionals, 69% of men feel prepared to use AI tools compared with just 56% of women.

Despite growing confidence among students, many appear unprepared for the reality of finance careers. While 79% of students expect to work less than 40 hours a week, nearly six in ten current professionals say they exceed that figure, and 57% report having experienced burnout.

Half of professionals said they don’t believe new graduates are ready for the demands of finance jobs. Those surveyed cited technical skills, strategic thinking, and strong work ethic as the top qualities required for success.

Tom Shea, CEO of OneStream, said finance teams were under pressure to close both skills and confidence gaps. “Finance teams are navigating AI readiness and battling burnout while facing more pressure than ever to forecast faster and work smarter,” he said.

The report comes as the finance sector undergoes rapid transformation. Two-thirds of current professionals already use AI in some form, and a third expect to rely on it heavily in the future. Yet widespread uncertainty remains about how best to apply AI tools in real-world financial settings.

Pam McIntyre, OneStream’s senior vice-president of finance, warned that without early intervention, the disconnect between expectation and reality could impact retention. “If we want to keep great people in finance, we need to invest in training and free up professionals to focus on strategic decisions that drive the business forward,” she said.