As the adoption of artificial intelligence accelerates across global markets, Rohini Jain, Chief Financial Officer at BILL, is keeping a thoughtful eye on its impact. Jain spoke candidly about the profound shifts that AI may bring to both finance and the wider economy.
Jain shared that her primary concern revolves around the long-term implications of AI on employment and prosperity. “If I think about 2030, years down the line, where does it all end? It is not clear,” she remarked. She emphasized the challenge of ensuring that rising productivity fully benefits individuals without compromising healthy employment levels in each country. Of particular worry, Jain noted, is the risk that economic divides could deepen, with power and capital further consolidating among a few.
“We just don’t know what we don’t know, and it’s hard to put proper regulation and control around it,” she said. Nonetheless, she expressed optimism that with thoughtful regulation and intentional usage, the positives of AI could outweigh the negatives.
When asked how AI is reshaping the finance function, Jain reflected on her two decades in the field. “Very early on, roles were so much about bookkeeping and balancing the balance sheet…which evolved into finance support for decision making,” she described. Today, she sees finance at the heart of not just strategy creation, but also its execution and accountability. Jain believes that AI is now a companion for finance leaders, offering speed and depth that were previously unattainable. “Other than the CEO, the CFO is the only person who’s looking at every function. AI helps us accomplish much more, faster.”
Through her leadership at BILL and her forward-looking stance on technology, Jain continues to drive conversations about balancing innovation with responsibility. As AI transforms the business landscape, she calls for collaboration between technologists, regulators, and finance professionals to guide its evolution for equitable growth and lasting prosperity.
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Rohini Jain, Chief Financial Officer at BILL, spoke candidly on the evolving risks and opportunities posed by artificial intelligence, stressing that issues around employment, productivity, and regulation remain key concerns for the years ahead. Jain noted, “If I think about it, 2030, years down the line, where does it all end? It is not clear.” She emphasized the challenge of balancing AI-driven productivity gains with sufficient employment levels and prosperity for all, expressing concern about widening divides between economies and societies.
Jain acknowledged the uncertainty that surrounds new regulatory frameworks for AI, emphasizing the importance of intentional, thoughtful adoption and robust oversight. “We just don’t know what we don’t know, and it’s hard to put proper regulation and control around it,” she said, but suggested that with careful management, the net outcomes should be positive.
Reflecting on the impact of AI on the finance function itself, Jain described a radical shift from traditional bookkeeping to a role now central to business strategy, execution, and accountability. “Finance is becoming the center of a lot—not only strategy-making in a business, but also executing on the strategy, driving accountability, creating the longer-term roadmaps,” Jain explained. As CFO, she uses AI as an essential companion to accelerate decision-making and deliver greater insights across every area of the business.
Source: Global Finance
