Chief financial officer (CFO) at global recruitment company Airswift, Tim Briant says artificial intelligence is going to disrupt finance departments completely, with bots replacing people. He has already witnessed how smart, automated systems can impact an industry. Mr Briant was previously CFO at recruitment firm Adecco, where many processes are automated, while some don't "have a human touch at all" and are simply processed by software. There's less impact at the higher end, but that this could change over time, he says. "When you are placing a six-figure engineer, there's an element of human contact and reassurance that people want," says Mr Briant.

Capgemini plans to make it easier for companies to embed AI, bots and blockchains into their businesses by launching the Applied Innovation Exchange. The Exchange will give businesses access to Capgemini's network of partners, experts and other resources to help them realise the potential of cutting-edge innovations, the firm said. The global network will offer companies support when they wish to build proof of concepts for the Internet of Things (IoT) and prototypes in specialist sectors such as financial services. "We're thrilled to be opening our latest Applied Innovation Exchange in London, giving business leaders the chance to not only see the latest innovations from a host of exciting companies across the globe, but also explore, here and now, what they could achieve within their own organisations," Rory Burghes, VP of the Exchange at Capgemini UK, said. "To support our group ambition and strategy around cloud and digital, and to go beyond our great delivery capabilities, we are focused on our clients who look to us as a major partner to address the demands on their ability to grow, compete and launch new business models leveraging innovation," Lanny Cohen, global CTO of the platform, added.