On-demand Webcast: Building Financial Resilience in Uncertain Times: Leveraging AI for Better Spend Control

In our latest SAP Concur Canada webcast, Building Financial Resilience in Uncertain Times: Leveraging AI for Better Spend Control, Kevin Craig, Managing Director at SAP Concur, explored how businesses can leverage AI-powered solutions to build financial resilience in a volatile economy. Joining Kevin were experts Jonathan D’Amico, Senior Manager, Tech and Transformation, Supply Chain and Network Operations at Deloitte Canada, and Connie Hoen, Director of Global Audit Services at SAP Concur.

The Reality of Economic Disruptions

The discussion began by addressing the immense pressures facing Canadian businesses, from US tariff shifts and rising capital costs to supply chain disruptions. Kevin noted that these challenges require smarter, faster financial strategies. The key to resilience lies in focusing on controllable areas like spend management. Jonathan emphasized that the solution rests on three pillars: automation, integration, and real-time reporting. These elements free up teams from manual work and provide the accurate data needed for agile decision-making. An audience poll reinforced this, with 36% of attendees citing insufficient real-time visibility as their top spending challenge, followed by 29% who pointed to inefficient or manual processes. The findings highlight the urgency for integrated solutions that enhance visibility and streamline workflows.

Practical Adoption of AI  

The conversation then shifted to the practical adoption of AI. Jonathan explained that the best practice is to start small, allowing teams to build trust and recognize the value over time. Connie emphasized that building trust in AI is a continuous learning process, comparable to how we gradually came to rely on traffic lights. “We began to trust that green meant go and red meant stop—without second-guessing it,” she said. As AI evolves, it can outperform human judgment in areas like spotting fraudulent receipts, enabling faster audits and reimbursements. The key, she noted, is allowing the technology to grow while building confidence in its insights.

The speakers also emphasized that successful AI implementation goes beyond the technology itself. Clear training and support for all stakeholders—travellers, approvers, finance teams—are essential to maximizing AI’s benefits. With the right change management and user-friendly tools, organizations can reduce resistance, boost adoption, and unlock AI’s full potential to enhance both user experience and business outcomes.

That potential is already resonating with many finance professionals. In an audience poll, 37% of attendees said AI would have the biggest impact on expense reconciliation and processing, followed by 34% who pointed to fraud detection and prevention. These priorities reinforce the speakers' points around ROI and the need for trust, training, and continuous improvement to fully realize AI’s value in spend management.

Bridging the AI Trust Gap in Business Travel and Expense Management

Looking to the future, the panel tackled the "trust gap" in AI adoption. Kevin shared a powerful statistic from our Canadian Business Travel Report: while 96% of Canadian professionals would consider using AI for booking travel, only 4% feel comfortable doing so today. To bridge this gap, Connie emphasized that testing is crucial—we need to test the technology to build confidence that it performs as expected. The ultimate goal is to shift from reactive audits to proactive compliance. As Jonathan noted, the future of expense management involves placing AI-powered guardrails at the very beginning of the process. By flagging policy violations or budget issues before a report is even submitted, the system ensures compliance from the start. This transforms the approver's role from examining every transaction in a haystack to focusing only on high-risk exceptions.

This proactive approach empowers employees to do the right thing from the outset, significantly streamlining the entire process. A final audience poll confirmed that the most important factor for encouraging employee adoption is providing clear training and support, followed by ensuring data security and demonstrating time and cost savings. By preparing for this future now, businesses can leverage AI to not only manage costs but also enhance employee safety and strategic decision-making.

Final Thoughts

Businesses are shifting from reactive measures to proactive, intelligent spend management. By integrating AI into the core of financial processes, they can optimize costs, ensure compliance, and build the resilience needed to turn disruption into opportunity. With the right strategy, training, and tools in place, organizations can confidently navigate economic uncertainty and emerge stronger.

Watch the on-demand webcast and contact us with any questions on how to build a more resilient and intelligent travel and expense program.