If you missed the recent “The Metrics and Strategies That Drive Results in 2025” webcast, hosted by Ardent Partners and Medius, it showcased that for finance leaders, AP is no longer just a back-office function — it’s a critical driver of cost savings, efficiency, and financial strategy. In this webinar, the presenters unpacked the latest findings from Ardent Partners’ The AP Metrics That Matter in 2025 report and explored how today’s top-performing AP teams are achieving best-in-class results.
In part one of a two-part series, we provide some of the webcast highlights, including the key benchmarks, trends, and strategies that will shape the future of AP.
Click on the link to access the full event and exclusive content.
The Rise of Strategic AP in the Age of AI
Accounts Payable (AP) is transforming — one that’s long overdue and increasingly urgent. Once viewed as a back-office function centered on transactional tasks, AP is now stepping into the spotlight as a critical driver of operational efficiency and financial performance. The shift has been propelled by pandemic-era lessons, rapid advances in automation, and a groundswell of innovation powered by artificial intelligence (AI). For organizations with vision, 2025 could mark the beginning of a new era for AP — one where digital transformation finally delivers on its promise.
The pandemic revealed a stark truth: Manual processes, particularly in finance, are operational liabilities. In response, forward-looking leaders began to invest in automating AP, recognizing it as both a pain point and a lever for strategic value. These investments have elevated AP teams from transactional processors to influential contributors in cash management, supplier relations, and even risk mitigation. And while the opportunities are vast, AP leaders know the path forward won’t be easy. A majority expect 2025 to be more challenging than 2024, as volatility (from economic uncertainty to geopolitical tensions) continues to define the business landscape.
Within this complex environment, AP must contend with growing demands to “do more with less.” Executives are under pressure to scale operations efficiently, improve stakeholder experiences, and enhance supplier satisfaction — all while navigating lean budgets and limited headcount. Yet the irony remains: AP only gets attention when something goes wrong. This is precisely why the stakes (and the potential) are so high.
Enter AI. The technology isn’t just a buzzword. It’s becoming a foundational enabler of modern AP. While AI’s benefits won’t be fully realized overnight, its growing footprint is already visible. According to recent research, roughly 75% of AP departments are leveraging some form of AI, often embedded within existing technologies. These systems are helping reduce manual touchpoints, streamline exception handling, and generate actionable insights from massive volumes of data. AI is not something you buy off the shelf; it’s something you build into your architecture — task by task, process by process.
Perhaps most promising is AI’s role in driving what experts call the “intelligence dividend”— the ability to detect fraud, predict bottlenecks, and personalize workflows based on user context. With suppliers increasingly sensitive to payment precision and timing, these improvements are more than incremental: they’re essential. And while some still see AI as overhyped, it’s worth remembering that the internet and cloud computing once faced similar skepticism.
Of course, tools alone won’t create transformation. Organizations need a solid data foundation, integrated systems, and a willingness to rethink legacy workflows. With automation still partial in many key AP functions, such as invoice exception handling and supplier communication, leaders must not confuse system adoption with system effectiveness.
The call to action is clear: The future of AP isn’t coming; it’s already here. Whether that future delivers strategic value or operational chaos will depend on how quickly and effectively organizations embrace the change. For those ready to lead, 2025 could be the year AP moves from overlooked function to strategic powerhouse.
