Stephen Hambling explores why adding AI to FP&A systems can sometimes feel like playing AI Jenga. In this episode of Kybos Diary of a CFO, he explains that while AI has huge potential, its success depends entirely on the strength of the foundations beneath it.
To use a simple analogy, think of AI like the next block added to a Jenga tower. If the tower beneath it is solid, well-balanced, and carefully built, adding another block is no problem. In fact, it can make the structure even more impressive. The same is true in FP&A. If your systems, processes, and reporting foundations are already robust, then layering AI on top can deliver genuinely powerful results. Tools like Jedox can help teams move faster, uncover better insights, and make more confident decisions because the underlying structure is strong enough to support that extra capability.
The challenge is that many businesses are not starting from that position. Too often, we see finance teams trying to introduce AI when the basics are still unstable. Their data is fragmented, their processes are inconsistent, and their reporting is difficult to repeat or explain clearly. In those situations, AI does not solve the underlying problem. It simply sits on top of it, amplifying the weaknesses that are already there. Instead of creating clarity, it can accelerate confusion. Instead of improving decision-making, it can make bad processes run faster.
That is why getting the foundations right matters so much. Before focusing on the AI layer, organisations need to make sure their core data is clean, their processes are joined up, and their reporting is reliable and repeatable. Once those fundamentals are in place, AI becomes far more valuable. It stops being a risky add-on and starts becoming a genuine force multiplier. So the priority should always be the same: fix the foundations first, establish trust in the numbers, and then use AI to build on top of something strong.
At Kybos, we help organisations modernise financial planning and reporting with tailored solutions built by accountancy-qualified consultants. As a dedicated UK & Ireland Jedox Platinum Partner, we support businesses with agile implementation, automated data integration and practical, data-driven approaches that help teams move faster and work with greater confidence.
If you would like to explore how that could look in your organisation, contact Kybos or arrange a call and we can have a conversation about how Kybos could support you.
