Figma CFO details AI automation of finance workflows

Figma CFO Praveer Malani describes how his team has automated core finance functions using AI tools like Codex, ChatGPT, and Figma Make. The credit and collections team, led by Kajal, rebuilt invoice tracking and cash collections to reconcile with NetSuite, freeing staff to focus on reducing days receivable. The corporate development team uses AI to 'vibe code' prototypes of acquisition targets to assess technical moats and runs investment memos against simulated AI personas of Figma leadership to reduce review cycle time. Corporate finance staff use AI to stitch together messy data from Navon, Zip, and Ramp for T&E reviews, noting that 95% of the challenge is data placement rather than analysis. Malani states that if business complexity remained static, Figma would not need the same number of finance staff in 12 months. He emphasizes that AI shifts finance from a 'traffic cop' role to a 'business enabler,' allowing teams to spend more time on strategic insights and experiments rather than manual reconciliation. New CIO Kasper Sorensen, joined from Coinbase, is tasked with centralizing these bottom-up AI builds into reusable platforms. A16Z partners Seema Ambel and Ivan Makarov discuss their thesis that the CFO role requires a new profile focused on building automation systems. They note a market shift observed over the last nine months where CFOs moved from using AI for simple document generation to automating core data reconciliation and workflows. Ambel and Makarov argue that the next generation of CFOs must be 'business enablers' who prioritize 'automation first' thinking. Malani adds that hiring criteria now emphasize intellectual curiosity and the ability to use AI as a tool for thinking, rather than outsourcing judgment. He warns against 'slop'—low-quality AI-generated content—and stresses that leaders must maintain high standards for review and communication, ensuring that AI accelerates insight without replacing critical analysis.