New Study Reveals the “New Normal” in Finance: Economic Pressures Push Middle Market Teams Toward Faster Digital and AI

Core Insights - AvidXchange Inc's 2026 Trends Survey indicates that economic pressures are driving middle market finance teams to invest in AI and automation to enhance efficiency and scalability [1][4] Economic Outlook - 86% of finance professionals express concern about the current economic state, indicating a constrained outlook for 2026 [2] - 56% of finance leaders have significantly altered their business plans due to economic uncertainty [3] Technology Adoption - There is a strong push for finance teams to "do more with less," with this sentiment rising to 96% in recent months [3] - Nearly half of the respondents plan to increase investment in AI, which is the top area for new spending, with almost 80% confident in achieving strong ROI [4] Payment Security - 66% of finance teams plan to expand ePayment options or transition primarily to digital payments in the next two years [5] - 43% cite security concerns as the main barrier to adopting new technologies, despite many adopting them to enhance fraud prevention [6] Fraud Prevention - Successful check fraud attacks have decreased to 25%, down from 63% in 2024, while detection of attempted check fraud has doubled [8] - Reports of no check fraud attempts have increased to 36%, compared to just 10% last year [9] Employee Development - Over 50% of finance teams emphasize technology proficiency in hiring, with 76% stating it is more important than in previous years [7] - 59% of accounts payable professionals are actively learning automation and AI skills to keep pace with innovation [7] Future Trends - Automation and AI are now essential for competitiveness in the middle market, with 72% of respondents indicating that technology investments made in 2020 are aiding in navigating current uncertainties [10]