The only money coming in was from founder and CEO Elon Musk himself. "Those were the dark, dark days," Ahuja recalled later. Ahuja safely steered one of Silicon Valley's most audacious technology ventures not just through the ensuing cash crisis but also through a hugely successful IPO two years later. That feat speaks not just of Ahuja's talents, but also of the highly strategic role most CFOs play at technology companies today. The ultimate proof point of that thesis: After retiring from Tesla in 2015, Ahuja was asked to return in 2018 for a second stint as finance chief, and to try to work his magic once again, as Tesla faces more challenges with cash management and mounting production issues.

Many companies expect in the near future to derive substantial benefits from adopting artificial intelligence-powered technologies. However, they must first overcome some significant obstacles. In a global survey of 300 C-level executives and their direct reports by consulting firm Protiviti, 16% of the respondents say their companies are getting "high" or "very high" value from their investments in AI. But more than three times that many (52%) say they anticipate they will be doing so in two years. Protiviti identified five major barriers to AI adoption. First, although improved cybersecurity is a major advantage of AI, it also brings its own cybersecurity risks due to the greater access to sensitive and personal data.

A study released in December found that 82% of U.S. commercial banks plan to increase fintech investment over the next three years; 86% of bank senior managers surveyed said they intend to boost fintech funding imminently. The research was commissioned by the global fintech provider Fraedom. The research firm Statista predicts U.S. fintech companies will receive $4.7 billion from all types of investors in 2018. Some of the areas of fintech likely to draw investment are the buzzwords of 2017. "We're seeing different ways of enabling funding or lending and measuring creditworthiness," said Jennifer Byrne at Quesnay, a company that connects fintechs with traditional firms.