Nine in 10 finance leaders say they are under pressure to prove AI ROI, while only 7% say their organizations prioritize governance over deployment speed

DURHAM, N.C., July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Avalara, Inc., the agentic AI leader in global tax and compliance, today released new research revealing that while finance teams feel pressure to  deploy AI agents as quickly as possible, governance, accountability, and internal controls are struggling to keep pace. 

The report, “Agents of Change: How the Race to Deploy AI Agents is Outrunning Financial Governance,” surveyed more than 1,500 CFOs and senior finance leaders across the U.S., U.K., India, and Australia who have deployed, piloted, or actively evaluated AI agents in financial processes during the past year.

Key findings
Pressure to show value is mounting.

92%1 of respondents feel moderate or significant career pressure to demonstrate that AI agent investments are delivering ROI, with half calling that pressure significant.Half say their AI agent initiatives have delivered only limited measurable ROI to date.71%2 say the pressure to deploy agents is focused primarily on deployment speed.

Governance is falling behind the agentic AI rush.

Only 7%3 say their organization prioritizes governance over speed.30%4 have not updated internal controls within the last year to reflect AI agents taking or recommending actions.44% are only somewhat confident they could explain an AI agent’s actions to an auditor or regulator.

The findings reveal a finance function caught between executive pressure to accelerate AI agent adoption and the operational reality that those AI agents need to be managed with care, particularly in tax and compliance, where decisions must withstand regulatory scrutiny.

“Finance leaders are right to move quickly to capitalize on agentic AI opportunities, but speed without accountability creates new forms of risk, and speed without rethinking workflows limits ROI,” said Hugo Sarrazin, Chief Executive Officer at Avalara. “The organizations that realize the greatest value from AI won’t simply deploy more agents. They’ll leverage agents with trusted data, governed workflows, and clear controls that enable automation with confidence.”

Pinpointing Accountability

The research highlights questions about who is responsible for significant AI agent errors. For example, nearly one in four (23%5) say accountability for a significant AI agent error would be unclear or sit with no one, while 16% believe the executive who approved the AI investment would ultimately be held personally accountable. 

One of the challenges is a lack of available knowledge: 76%6 lack dedicated in-house expertise to understand how their AI agents work, relying on IT or vendors.

“Finance leaders are being asked to move quickly with AI, but governing agents requires a new combination of domain, AI, IT, and data governance expertise,” said Frank Cirone, VP Commercial Strategy at Snowflake, a cloud data platform company. “As AI agents gain access to financial and compliance workflows, organizations need to know what those agents can see, what they can do, and when human approval is required. That kind of control has to be built into the architecture, not added after the fact.” 

Finance Leaders Prioritize Trust Alongside Speed

The survey makes clear that finance leaders aren’t looking to slow AI adoption. They’re looking to scale it responsibly. When asked what would most increase their confidence in expanding AI agents, respondents consistently prioritized capabilities that reinforce trust and accountability:

AI agents operating within existing systems of record (27%)Outputs grounded in verified tax, compliance, and financial data (25%)Validation against known compliance requirements (25%)Vendor commitments around accuracy and accountability (24%)Audit trails documenting every AI action (23%)

The capabilities respondents identified as most valuable were “audit-ready documentation for every AI-driven action” and “monitoring regulatory changes and applying updates in real time”, each selected by 30% of respondents.

“AI agents are now moving into business processes that require trust, transparency, and governance by design,” said Jim Lundy, Founder, CEO, and Lead Analyst at Aragon Research. “As enterprises scale agentic AI, the question becomes less about whether the technology can act and more about whether organizations can understand, control, and explain those actions. In finance, where workflows are auditable and outcomes carry real business consequences, governance and explainability will become essential requirements for adoption.”

The full report, Agents of Change: How the Race to Deploy AI Agents is Outrunning Financial Governance, is available at: newsroom.avalara.com/image/Agents_of_Change.pdf.

Methodology:

The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 1,505 CFO or Senior Finance leaders (aged 30+) in companies with a revenue of $10 million+ across the U.K., U.S., Australia, and India (505, 500, 250, and 250 respondents respectively). Respondents must have deployed, piloted, or actively evaluated AI agents in their organization in the last 12 months and work in the following industries: Financial Services and Insurance / Healthcare /Manufacturing & Distribution / Professional Services (i.e., accounting firms legal, consulting) / Retail & E-commerce / Tech and SaaS. The data was collected between June 15, 2026 – June 22, 2026. Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the British Polling Council (BPC), and a signatory of the Global Data Quality Pledge. Censuswide adheres to the MRS Code of Conduct and ESOMAR principles.

About Avalara

Avalara is the agentic AI platform for global tax and compliance. For more than two decades, Avalara has built one of the most expansive libraries of tax content and integrations in the industry, processing more than 54 billion transactions annually and supporting millions of businesses worldwide. The company’s purpose-built AI agents automate end-to-end compliance with greater precision, from tax calculations and return filings to exemption certificate management and beyond. For more information, visit Avalara.com.

Combining answers “significant pressure” (50%) and “moderate pressure” (42%) Combining answers “entirely on speed” (29%) and “mostly on speed” (41%) Combining answers “mostly on governance” (6%) and “entirely on governance” (1%)Combining answers “Within the last 13 – 23 months” (17%), “within the last two years” (9%), “Over two years ago” (2%) and “We are currently in the process of updating it” (2%)Combining answers “Accountability would be unclear” (17%) and “No one individual or team” (6%) Combining answers “this is something we are actively trying to hire or develop for” (20%), “we rely on our IT or technology team for this” (20%), “we rely on the vendor who built or provides the agent” (20%) and “we have no one currently responsible for this” (16%)

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Popeyes is putting their world-famous Louisiana tenders center stage this July with exclusive performances, iconic experiences, and deals so everyone can get in on the fun in honor of their classic menu item

MIAMI, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Just in time for the July 27th holiday, Popeyes® is celebrating their famous, newly elevated Chicken Tenders with some southern hospitality in the Hamptons and getting everyone in on the party with a national offer leading up to one of the biggest moments of the year for tender lovers everywhere.

This summer, Popeyes teamed up with The Surf Lodge, the Hamptons beloved music venue, for a first-of-its-kind partnership to take over their viral multi-level “Chicken Tender Tower” becoming one of the most talked-about food moments of the summer.

Now, Popeyes is bringing that energy nationwide. Through Door Dash and Uber Eats, starting today through July 27th, for just $25 guests can get 11 hand-battered, crispy Chicken Tenders, one large side and four buttery biscuits.* To save even more, guests can visit us in restaurant and get this deal for $20*. This offer is designed to fuel summer gatherings and put Popeyes signature chicken at the center of every table. Order two and you can build your own Chicken Tender Tower at home. No matter where you are located, Popeyes is making their viral Chicken Tender Tower available for guests nationwide. 

This July 27th, we have even more to celebrate with our tenders. Our world class culinary team has spent time elevating our tenders so that guests get consistent, hand-breaded Louisiana flavor and generous portions each time they order Popeyes Tenders Guests can expect the signature Popeyes flavor they know and love, now with even greater consistency from order to order, delivering on the quality, satisfaction, and craveability that Popeyes is known for.

To kick off this Tender celebration filled with southern hospitality, Popeyes is taking over The Surf Lodge for an exclusive Marquee weekend from July 24 – 26. The weekend will bring together tastemakers, bold Louisiana flavor, live music, and summer energy culminating on July 25 with a special performance from an award-winning artist.

“Our Chicken Tenders have earned a loyal following for a reason. They’re packed with the bold Louisiana flavor and signature crunch that only Popeyes can deliver,” said Matt Rubin, Chief Marketing Officer at Popeyes. “Whether fans are stacking their own Chicken Tender Tower at home or joining us at The Surf Lodge in Montauk, we’re bringing craveable flavor to the center of one of summer’s biggest cultural moments.”

As Popeyes continues to show up at the intersection of food, music and culture, the brand is bringing its iconic Chicken Tenders to the center of summer’s most memorable moments, creating unforgettable experiences wherever fans gather and celebrate. 

*At participating U.S. restaurants. Price may vary.

ABOUT POPEYES® 
Founded in New Orleans in 1972, Popeyes® has over 50 years of history and culinary tradition. Popeyes® distinguishes itself with a unique New Orleans style menu featuring fried chicken, chicken tenders, fried shrimp, and other regional items. The chain’s passion for its Louisiana heritage and flavorful authentic food has allowed Popeyes® to become one of the world’s largest chicken quick service restaurants with over 4,000 restaurants in the U.S. and around the world. To learn more about the brand, please visit the Popeyes® brand website at Popeyes.com or follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram. 

ABOUT THE SURF LODGE 
The iconic Surf Lodge hotel and restaurant located in Montauk, New York, first opened in 2008 by Jayma Cardoso, a visionary within the hospitality, wellness, and design world. The property quickly became the most exclusive destination in the Hamptons, attracting top celebrities, notables, and influential people alike. The Surf Lodge is best known for its live concert series featuring world-class musicians such as John Legend, Jimmy Buffet, Willie Nelson, Wyclef Jean, Rüfüs du Sol, and more. In 2019, The Surf Lodge expanded, opening its sister destination, The Snow Lodge, in the premier city of Aspen. 

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SOURCE Popeyes

As Houston’s senior population continues to grow, owners Caleb Drew and Thazin Min Htet will offer professional family resources

HOUSTON, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Caring Senior Service, a non-medical, personalized home care services company, today announced it has opened a new office, located at 5600 NW Central Dr., Suite 210 in Spring Valley Village, a community in west Houston.

For owners Caleb Drew and Thazin Min Htet, opening the new location is about creating a place where seniors feel valued, families feel supported and caregivers are treated with respect. Rather than trying to solve every challenge families face, the couple wants to make a lasting difference by helping seniors live better and more independent lives.

Setting a Better Standard

The husband-and-wife team said they hope their office will set a different standard for home care by focusing on relationships instead of transactions.

“We want our office to be a shining example in an industry that too often sees caregivers as numbers and elders as commodities,” Drew said. “That’s why we chose Caring. The company’s commitment to personalized care, strong caregiver support and treating every client with dignity reflects the kind of service we want to provide in our community.”

Caring Senior Service founder and CEO Jeff Salter said the organization welcomes the couple into the company’s fold.

“Caleb and Thazin bring compassion, purpose and a genuine commitment to serving families,” Salter said. “Their dedication to helping seniors remain independent while supporting family caregivers makes them an outstanding addition to the Caring Senior Service family.”

Meeting Houston’s Growing Need for Senior Care

As Houston’s senior population continues to grow, so does the need for reliable in-home services. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, adults age 65 and older make up about 12.3% of Houston’s population, creating greater demand for personalized in-home care.

The Houston West office offers non-medical home and companion care, plans tailored for clients with specific medical conditions, and services that cater to the specific needs of military veterans.

Turning Personal Experience into Purpose

Prior to opening the business, Drew worked as an industrial engineer and Htet worked as a legal assistant. Together, their professional backgrounds and personal experiences caring for aging family members inspired them to open the business.

Drew saw firsthand the challenges families face while helping care for his grandmother, while Htet helped care for her grandfather in Myanmar alongside her family. Those experiences reinforced the emotional and physical demands of caregiving and motivated the couple to support seniors and their loved ones through professional care services.

“We want families to know they do not have to do this alone,” Htet said. “Caring for an aging loved one impacts every part of a family’s life. We hope to create a community where seniors are treated with dignity and their families feel comfortable reaching out when they need support.”

For more information about Caring Senior Service in Houston West, please visit www.caringseniorservice.com/spring-valley-village.

About Caring Senior Service

Caring Senior Service is a non-medical home care services company based in San Antonio, Texas. Founded by CEO Jeff Salter in 1991, the company provides assistance to seniors, people with disabilities, and any adult who may need help with the tasks of everyday living, such as bathing, personal care, running errands, and preparing food. After adding locations throughout Texas in the 1990s, the company extended its reach through franchising in 2002. It now boasts more than 50 locations throughout the United States.

For more information on Caring Senior Service, please visit caringseniorservice.com.

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SOURCE Caring Senior Service