
AI Builds Obsession for Financial Modelers to Refocus on Specification Testing and Trust Now
From Financial Modeler's Corner by Paul Barnhurst AKA The FP&A Guy
March 24, 2026 · 43 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the impact of AI on financial modeling and the evolving role of financial modelers.
In this episode of The ModSquad, Ian Bennett, Partner at PwC, joins Paul Barnhurst, Giles Male, and Ian Schnoor to discuss the rapid changes happening in financial modeling with the rise of AI. The team explores how AI tools like Claude are revolutionizing the industry, the critical role of strong modeling skills, and the ongoing importance of trust in financial modeling. They also touch on the future of Excel in the age of AI and how professionals can adapt to stay ahead in this rapidly changing landscape. Ian Bennett is a Partner at PwC, leading Deals Modeling in Australia and globally. With over 25 years of experience, Ian has built and reviewed complex models for transactions, infrastructure, finance transformations, and BAU forecasting across Australia and the UK. Ian is a founding member of the Financial Modeling Institute's (FMI) Advisory Council and a member of FMI's Financial Modeling Global Leaders Council. He is also the lead author of PwC’s Global Financial Modeling Guidelines. Expect to Learn How AI tools like Claude are reshaping the financial modeling process. The crucial role of human oversight and strong modeling skills, even with advanced AI. Why AI in financial…
People in this episode
Host: Paul Barnhurst
Guest: Ian Bennett
Topics covered
- AI in financial modeling
- trust in financial modeling
- Excel future
- modeling skills
- automation impact
Keywords
- financial modeling
- AI tools
- Excel
- trust
- modeling skills
- automation
- PwC
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: PwC, Financial Modeling Institute, PwC’s Global Financial Modeling Guidelines
Products: Claude
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