Top 11 AI Courses for Finance Leaders in 2026

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• 79% of finance chiefs expect to use GenAI in the next two years to help bridge skills gaps in their departments.
• 87% of CFOs predict that AI will be key to their finance department’s operations in 2026, with 49% citing automating processes as their top talent priority.
• 59% of finance functions are currently using AI, and organizations further along with AI adoption are over twice as likely to experience tangible impact.
• Inadequate data quality and low levels of data literacy are the top two challenges related to AI adoption in finance. With 90% of finance functions expected to deploy at least one AI-enabled solution by 2026, finance leaders must invest in training programs now.
• AI and automation skills ranked as the top finance skills development priority, with 64% of finance leaders planning to infuse more technical skills within their function.
• While 63% of finance departments have fully deployed AI solutions, only 21% see clear, measurable value from these investments. Success depends on deliberate approaches, including dedicated teams and role-based training. 

AI finance courses are an effective tool for finance leaders to gain a competitive advantage in their industry and level up in their careers. 

Rather than fearing artificial intelligence will take over their jobs, finance leaders are choosing to embrace the technology so it can complement their work rather than replace it. 

Would it surprise you to hear that 95% of tech CFOs think generative AI will boost their productivity? Now, what if we told you that just 5% say it will be used in finance this year? 

Clearly, the potential exists, but many CFOs remain hesitant to fully embrace this technology. 

Today, there are hundreds of AI finance courses for leaders to pick from, evidence of the growing interest in the topic. Fortunately, learning what you need to know about utilizing AI in finance is easier than ever!

In this article, we will simplify it by laying out the top eleven AI courses for finance leaders in 2026. 

According to Deloitte’s Q1 2025 CFO Signals survey of 200 CFOs, 79% of finance chiefs believe it is likely or very likely they will use generative artificial intelligence in the coming 24 months to help bridge skills gaps in their finance department. 

The survey also found that employee engagement (50%) and lack of skilled talent (45%) were among the biggest workforce challenges CFOs face in meeting C-suite expectations. This data underscores why AI finance courses have become essential for finance leaders who want to upskill their teams and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

We’ll break everything down by the course name, where it takes place, the institution that provides it, who it’s best for, the length of the course, and other details to help you make the most informed decision. 

Top 11 AI Finance Courses for 2026

By the end of this article, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of the best AI courses for finance leaders and be able to choose the one that best fits your needs.

Let’s go!

1. University of Pennsylvania’s AI for Business Specialization

The first AI finance course to consider in 2026 is put on by the University of Pennsylvania. AI for Business Specialization is a free course that covers the ABCs of Machine Learning, artificial intelligence, and Big Data. 

The course covers the many ways to use AI in business, ethical considerations, and the fair design of HR functions within Machine Learning.

During each course module, cumulative assessments cover AI applications, ethical governance, Big Data management, customer journeys, fraud prevention, and personalization technology.

These assessments allow students to apply their new AI finance knowledge and its practical concepts.

Institution: University of Pennsylvania

Location: Online 

Length of Course: One month with 10 hours of work per week (flexible)

Price: Free

Effort: Course 1: 9 hours, Course 2: 6 hours, Course 3: 9 hours, Course 4: 9 hours

Learning Format: Weekly modules, flexible learning

Who It’s Right For: This free AI finance course is suited to professionals, managers, and decision-makers who want to broaden and strengthen their knowledge of artificial intelligence algorithms and applications in finance. 

Other Details: Courses can be completed in any order. 

2. Finance AI Certificate Program

Offered in collaboration with MIT Sloan Management Review Connections, this multi-part certificate program is tailored to finance and planning leaders aiming to build AI and machine learning literacy. 

The program covers fundamental areas to help participants leverage AI effectively in finance and keep them at the forefront of technological advancements.

The five sessions are as follows: 

• The Case for an AI-Powered Productivity Boom
• Creating an Effective Data Strategy for Explainable AI
• AI-Powered Finance: Practical Use Cases for Intelligent Automation
• Regulatory and Business Implications of AI
• Upskilling Finance Talent for an AI-Augmented Workplace

Institution: MIT Sloan Management Review Connections
Location: Online
Length of Course: Multi-part program (contact for details)
Price: Contact for details
Certificate: Yes
Effort: Contact for details
Learning Format: Online, instructor-led modules with interactive components
Who It’s Right For: Finance leaders who want to incorporate AI and machine learning into their workflows and decision-making processes while considering regulatory and operational challenges.

87% of CFOs predict that AI will be very or extremely important to their finance department’s operations in 2026. Technology transformation has taken center stage as the top CFO priority heading into 2026, replacing enterprise risk management which held the top spot in 2025. Nearly half (49%) of CFOs cite automating processes to free employees to do higher-value work as their top priority for finance talent in 2026, aligning with the growing emphasis on AI and automation skills development.

Short accordion version (without hyperlinks): 87% of CFOs predict that AI will be key to their finance department’s operations in 2026, with 49% citing automating processes as their top talent priority.

3. Artificial Intelligence: Implications For Business Strategy

In collaboration with Get Smarter, this online short course explores how generative AI platforms revolutionize business operations. 

Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy gives students a practical grounding in artificial intelligence (AI) and its business applications.

Participants can transform their organizations into innovative, efficient, and sustainable entities with the knowledge they’ll gain. 

The course includes the following modules:

• An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning in Business
• Natural Language Processing in Business
• Robotics in Business
• Artificial Intelligence in Business and Society
• The Future of Artificial Intelligence

Institution: MIT Online

Location: Online 

Length of Course: 6 weeks (excluding orientation)

Price: $3200 (pricing plans available)

Effort: 6-8 hours per week, entirely online

Learning Format: Weekly modules, flexible learning

Who It’s Right For: This course is ideal for finance leaders looking to understand the practical implications of AI in business strategy and gain the skills needed to harness AI’s potential for organizational improvement.

Other Details: Multiple payment options

4. UT Austin’s Certificate in AI

This postgraduate program offers a comprehensive education in the most in-demand AI and machine learning skills, including model deployment.

Among many others, UT Austin’s Certificate in AI program covers topics such as: 

• Neural networks
• Computer vision
• Natural language processing
• Python for AI

It provides one-on-one mentorship from AI and ML experts and dedicated career support. Upon completion, participants receive a Certificate of Completion from UT Austin, a globally recognized leader in analytics, on their resumes. 

The course includes extensive career-development benefits, including LinkedIn and resume profile building and reviews, online portfolio building, and personalized one-on-one career guidance. 

Institution: University of Texas at Austin

Location: Online 

Length of Course: Seven months (part-time)

Price: Contact for details

Effort: Contact for details

Learning Format: Self-paced with weekly live discussions and in-person workshops

Who It’s Right For: This program suits professionals looking to advance their careers in AI, data science, and related fields.

Other Details: Payment plans available. The course includes eight or more hands-on projects during which students work directly with experts.

5. Cornell University AI Strategy Certificate Program

Designed for managers and senior leaders in tech, operations, finance, and HR, Cornell University’s AI Strategy Certificate Program helps leaders learn how to apply AI in their organizations, among other key skills. 

This AI course is offered in collaboration with eCornell, the university’s online learning platform.

Along with an introduction to AI and its future, this six-part course also covers:

• Knowledge-Based AI Technologies
• Machine Learning and Data-Based Approaches to AI
• Strategic Implementation of AI Systems
• Societal Impacts of AI

Class sizes are kept small to facilitate learning opportunities, and the six courses are designed to be taken in order.

Institution: Cornell University

Location: Online 

Length of Course: Each course lasts two weeks, and the entire program lasts three months.

Price: $2730 or $700/month

Certificate: Yes (Certificate from the Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business awarded upon completion along with 60 Professional Development Hours (6 CEUs) and 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) toward PMI recertification)

Effort: 3-5 hours weekly, online, over three months.

Learning Format: Instructor-led

Who It’s Right For: This program suits managers and senior leaders who want to understand AI and its applications in their organizations.

According to the 2025 Gartner AI in Finance Survey of 183 CFOs and senior finance leaders conducted, 59% of finance functions are currently using AI, up from 58% in 2024 and 37% in 2023. While growth has slowed from the sharp 21-percentage-point increase between 2023 and 2024, 67% of those using AI in finance are more optimistic about the technology than they were. 

Organizations further along with AI adoption are over twice as likely to experience moderate impact and nearly three times more likely to see high impact from the technology, demonstrating that proper training and implementation, such as through structured AI finance courses, can significantly improve outcomes.

6. AI in Finance Specialisation from CFTE

Looking for AI courses focusing on how artificial intelligence is transforming the world of finance and banking? 

The online and entirely self-paced course AI in Finance Specialisation from CFTE is designed to help professionals gain practical skills and knowledge to apply AI and machine learning in their careers. 

In about 15 minutes a day, you’ll learn from 30+ industry leaders on relevant topics that enhance your understanding of AI in finance and how to use this knowledge to further your career.

This certificate consists of four courses, each of which can be purchased individually:

• Course 1: Foundations of Artificial Intelligence: Applications and Trends
• Course 2: AI Technologies: Machine Learning Techniques, NLP and Recommendation Engines
• Course 3: Implementing AI in an Enterprise: Technology Skill Sets and Regulation
• Course 4: Applications of AI in Finance: Use Cases from the Industry

Institution: Centre for Finance, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (CFTE)

Location: Online 

Length of Course: Self-paced, but students can access the course for six months upon purchase.

Price: Students can purchase the program for a one-time payment of £600 or three £200 payments. 

Certificate: Yes (Participants receive a digital certificate upon completion that can be embedded on their LinkedIn profile or other professional website)

Effort: Self-paced, including at least 12 hours of expert content (including 72 videos). 

Learning Format: Video lectures, case studies, quizzes, and projects. 

Who It’s Right For: This program is suitable for finance professionals looking to upskill and understand the impact of AI on their industry. As there are no prerequisites, the course is accessible to people at any point in their careers.

7. AI Applications in Marketing and Finance from the University of Pennsylvania

In this four-part online course through the University of Pennsylvania, you’ll explore the dynamic realm of AI-driven applications designed to elevate the customer experience and extend customer relationships.

One of the four modules is dedicated to finance and explores how AI is used within the industry to detect fraud, manage risk, and automate financial decisions. 

The fourth and final module covers additional AI topics in finance, including how some of the world’s biggest brands use AI to make online shopping environments more secure. 

You can complete the course in six hours in two-hour increments spread over three weeks. Each of the four modules includes videos, assignments, and reading. 

Institution: University of Pennsylvania

Location: Online

Length of Course: Five hours between the four modules and approximately six hours of work.

Price: Free to enroll

Certificate: Yes

Effort: Self-paced

Learning Format: Includes videos, quizzes, and reading

Who It’s Right For: Marketing and finance professionals or students interested in understanding how AI transforms these industries and how they can utilize AI and machine learning to influence consumer habits.

Did you know Datarails offers on-demand webinars to help you deepen your knowledge of all things FP&A? Watch when it suits you to strengthen your financial leadership knowledge and career!

Gartner’s 2024 survey of 121 finance leaders identified inadequate data quality/availability and low levels of data literacy/technical skills as the top two challenges related to AI adoption in finance. The research found that CFOs are struggling to source the talent they need to meet their AI ambitions, making it essential to have an overarching functional strategy to identify, acquire, and develop AI skills. 

Gartner predicts that by 2026, 90% of finance functions will deploy at least one AI-enabled technology solution, yet the shortage of technical expertise means finance leaders must invest in training programs and courses to build internal capabilities rather than relying solely on external hiring.

8. AI for Finance from Udemy

One of the most popular online learning platforms, Udemy offers a comprehensive course on AI for Finance authored by Jakub Konczyk, a Python and Django expert. 

This course is geared towards professionals and students who have a basic understanding of finance and want to incorporate AI into their work or studies.

Throughout the 18 lectures in this AI course, you’ll learn to use Python, Keras, Scikit-Learn, and Pandas for financial forecasting and data preparation. 

You’ll also gain hands-on experience in predicting future values based on single and multiple variables using key machine learning methods.

Institution: Udemy

Location: Online

Length of Course: The course has five sections and 18 lectures, totaling nearly two and a half hours.

Price: $34.69 (for lifetime access)

Certificate: Yes

Effort: Self-paced

Learning Format: Video lectures

Who It’s Right For: In their own words, this course best suits “aspiring data scientists, ML practitioners, as well as Investment Analysts and Portfolio managers working in the finance and investment industry.”

9. Quant University Machine Learning and AI for Financial Professionals Course

This live and on-demand nine-module course from Quant University consists of nine modules, each 1.5 hours.  

Some of the topics and lessons include:

• The role of machine learning and AI in financial services
• When to use machine learning and AI techniques
• Key machine learning methodologies
• How to choose an algorithm for a specific goal
• Case studies with fully functional code

It’s crucial to have a solid grasp of Python before enrolling. If you are unfamiliar with Python, Quant University recommends first taking their Just Enough Python for Data Science in Finance course. 

Institution: Quant University

Location: Online

Length of Course: The course includes nine modules, each 1.5 hours.

Price: Contact for details

Certificate: Yes (virtual)

Effort: Download the brochure for more details.

Learning Format: Students can choose from live training dates or participate on-demand using pre-recorded sessions with interactive videos, slides, demos, and fully functional code.

Who It’s Right For: The course is beneficial for: “fundamental and quantitative analysts, risk and investment professionals, portfolio managers new to data science and machine learning.”

10. Machine Learning for Trading Specialization

The Machine Learning for Trading specialization from Google Cloud and the New York Institute of Finance (NYIF) is tailored to finance professionals, including analysts and hedge fund traders. 

Machine learning professionals can also benefit from this course by learning about quantitative trading strategies. 

This intermediate course can be completed in one month with ten work hours per week. 

There are three courses to complete:

• Introduction To Trading, Machine Learning & GCP
• Using Machine Learning In Trading And Finance
• Reinforcement Learning For Trading Strategies

Students should have some experience with SQL before enrolling, and an intermediate-level understanding of the fundamentals of machine learning is also strongly recommended. 

Institution: Google Cloud via Coursera

Location: Online

Length of Course: One month with ten hours of work per week.

Price: Coursera members can enroll for free. 

Certificate: Yes

Effort: Self-paced

Learning Format: Lectures, readings, assignments.

Who It’s Right For: Those with intermediate-level knowledge of machine learning who work in finance or machine learning professionals who want to learn quantitative trading strategies.

According to Deloitte’s Finance Trends 2026 survey of nearly 1,300 global finance leaders, artificial intelligence and automation skills ranked as the top finance skills development priority for fiscal years 2025 and 2026, with 64% of respondents planning to infuse more technical skills and capabilities within their function. 

2024 Deloitte analysis of CFO job postings revealed the number of skills CFO applicants were asked to bring increased by 19% over a five-year period, reflecting the expanding strategic influence of finance leaders. This shift toward technical competencies highlights why continuous learning through AI finance courses has become critical for career advancement in modern finance roles.

11. Advanced ChatGPT for Finance

ChatGPT can be an effective financial analysis tool, and courses like Advanced ChatGPT for Finance by finance experts and influencers Nicolas Boucher and Christian Martinez help business leaders harness its power. 

Some of the course’s outcomes and teachings include: 

• Advanced instructions to ChatGPT
• Knowing how to use ChatGPT for Financial Analysis
• Solve the Confidential Data issue
• Analyze PDFs with ChatGPT
• Use Python with ChatGPT
• Use ChatGPT plugins

In this two-day cohort-based course, students will learn from financial AI leaders and apply ChatGPT to their circumstances. 

Institution: Maven

Location: Online

Length of Course: Two Days

Price: $599 USD

Certificate: Yes

Effort: Intensive

Learning Format: Online, two-day cohort

Who It’s Right For: Those who want to learn to use ChatGPT for financial analysis, expand their existing knowledge, and pioneer the use of AI in finance. 

While Deloitte research shows that 63% of finance departments have fully deployed AI solutions, only 21% see clear, measurable value from these investments. This value gap underscores a critical challenge: without proper training, strategic implementation, and workforce development, AI adoption fails to deliver meaningful returns. 

McKinsey’s 2025 State of AI report found that 72% of organizations have adopted generative AI in at least one business function, yet success depends on deliberate, top-down approaches including redesigning core business processes, establishing dedicated AI teams, and providing role-based capability training. Organizations that implement structured AI education programs, such as the finance-specific courses outlined in this article, are better positioned to overcome initial barriers and realize substantial gains from their AI investments.

Conclusion: Top AI Courses for Finance Leaders in 2026

These 11 AI finance courses are an invaluable learning opportunity and a chance to develop skills that will advance your career. 

Whether you’re just starting your career or are an experienced professional, there’s a course for you. 

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a powerful FP&A solution, you’ll find it in Datarails. 

Widely regarded as the best FP&A software for Excel users, Datarails leverages AI and machine learning to streamline financial processes and provide real-time insights for better decision-making with the AI-driven FP&A Genius Solution and AI-generated presentations. 

If you found this article on AI Courses helpful, here are three more posts to read next:

• Will AI Really Replace Financial Analysts?
• Top Senior Data Scientist on AI and Future Proofing FP&A
• How AI Can Help Manage the Impact of Inflation on Businesses

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