Sage: Empowering Finance with Agentic AI

Agentic AI marks a major shift from reactive to autonomous AI systems. 

These AI “agents” can independently pursue complex goals with minimal human supervision, moving beyond simple prompt responses to actively reason, plan and use digital tools to complete entire tasks.

Unlike traditional AI assistants, agentic systems can manage projects, conduct research and handle online transactions from start to finish. This evolution transforms AI from a passive tool into a proactive digital worker, positioning it to disrupt numerous industries.

AI gets a fresh look as Aaron Harris, CTO of Sage, explains. The company has introduced rules around its AI to ensure that finance gets the best possible results with the least ethical conflict. 

How could the finance industry benefit from AI rather than automation?

Aaron Harris, CTO of Sage: Finance leaders need technology that not only scales with complexity but can also be trusted to operate with precision and purpose. That’s where AI comes in, but not just any AI.

The output from basic AI can be unpredictable and will only ever be as good as the person who programmed it. And that’s a risk the finance industry simply can’t afford.

We’ve trained large language models (LLMs) on curated, product-specific datasets including technical documents, configuration materials and support content. These models don’t just deliver performance; they reflect a deep understanding of the workflows that finance teams rely on every day.

Because when AI is built with intention and responsibility, it doesn’t replace the accountant. It empowers them. 

What role does trust play in the forward vision with AI? 

AH: Technology can only deliver value if it earns the user’s trust, especially in finance. That’s why at Sage Future, our annual conference that brings together thousands of customers and partners, we launched the AI Trust Label: a first-of-its-kind initiative with clear, accessible insights into how we develop AI and how it operates within our products. 

It shows users how data is protected, how bias is mitigated and what ethical safeguards are in place.

This initiative was built directly from our conversations with SMBs. Among those who trust AI, over four in five (85%) say they actively use it in their business, compared to just 48% among those who don’t. 

Businesses told us they needed clarity, accountability, and transparency, and we listened.

The Trust Label is one piece of a much broader commitment to align our AI development practices with internationally recognised frameworks, including the NIST AI Risk Management Framework and the UK Government’s AI Cyber Security Code of Practice. 

In South Africa, this approach aligns closely with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and the King IV Report on Corporate Governance, both of which emphasise ethical, transparent, and secure use of technology. 

And it’s all fundamentally done with one goal in mind: to build responsible AI that organisations can rely on.

At Sage, we understand that trust is non-negotiable when it comes to AI. That’s why we’ve introduced five AI commitments designed to ensure our solutions are built ethically and without bias. 

Our dedication to safety, transparency, and accountability means CFOs can rely on AI tools that empower them to make smarter decisions while upholding the highest standards of integrity.

What is the next chapter of intelligent finance?

AH: We’re (rapidly) entering a new phase in the AI lifecycle, one defined by agents; the agentic AI market is still in its early stages, but it’s growing fast and projected to rise from $5 billion today to $47 billion by 2030. Unlike traditional tools that respond to prompts, agents can make decisions, execute tasks, and manage multi-step workflows end-to-end with minimal human oversight.

In finance, this means transforming the monthly close, accelerating invoice processing and streamlining reconciliation.

Already, Sage Copilot and our AI-powered AP automation capabilities are helping finance teams to speed up the close, and as we lean into agentic AI, this automation will advance even further. It will crucially free up more time and elevate the strategic role of finance teams.

Agents won’t replace tools like Sage Copilot; they’ll enhance them. 

Agentic AI builds on existing capabilities by combining predictive, generative, and agentic technologies, meaning it can not only analyse and generate insights but also take autonomous actions to achieve specific goals. It represents a new frontier in software development, a leap beyond conversational AI. 

And as AI assumes more routine and repetitive tasks, finance teams will be able to gain the time and space to focus on what truly matters: strategic insights, business advisory and forward-looking planning.