Why the WSJ's Latest on AI in IR Hits Home: Getting Innovation Right

by Erik Carlson on Nov 21, 2024 5:37:10 PM

This week’s Wall Street Journal article on AI's emerging role in earnings prep struck a chord.

As someone who has sat in both the CFO and analyst seats and now oversees product innovation at Notified, I found myself nodding along while reading about how investor relations teams are navigating this new technology.

The article highlighted something I've long observed: IR teams are chronically understaffed yet manage one of the most critical functions in public companies. Every quarter, these small but mighty teams orchestrate a high-stakes, complex process that requires absolute precision, perfect timing, and careful message coordination across dozens of stakeholders.

What caught my attention wasn't just how companies like Skechers and Ciena are experimenting with AI tools - it was why they're doing it. They're not looking for flashy transformation. They're seeking practical solutions to real problems: predicting analyst questions, ensuring message consistency, and catching potential ambiguity before it causes confusion.

This resonates deeply with my experience. As a CFO myself, I’ve spent countless hours with my team preparing for earnings. We'd pore over past transcripts, anticipate tough questions, and meticulously review every word choice. These weren't academic exercises - they were essential steps to ensure we communicated clearly and effectively with the market.

But here's the challenge: using public AI tools for earnings prep is like testing new recipes during a state dinner – there’s no room for risk. The stakes are too high, and the risks around material non-public information are too great. IR teams need purpose-built solutions that understand their unique requirements around security, accuracy, and workflow integration.

That's exactly what Notified is solving for. We're building what IR teams actually need - not just another AI tool, but a secure platform that truly understands the earnings prep process. Because at the end of the day, IR teams don't need more complexity. They need solutions that give them more time to focus on what matters most: strategic stakeholder engagement.

The WSJ article confirms what we've been hearing from IR teams all over the world. The future of earnings prep isn't about replacing human judgment - it's about enhancing it with the right tools, built the right way, for the right reasons.

We’re excited for some big things in 2025 that will help IR teams tackle their most time-consuming challenges, while maintaining the security and precision their role demands.

Erik Carlson

Erik is a strategic and results-driven Chief Operating Officer who leads Notified’s product, finance, and global operations teams with over 15 years of experience in building high-performing teams and driving growth in complex environments. At Notified, he has spearheaded strategy, finance, and integration initiatives, complemented by extensive M&A and acquisition integration experience from his tenure at PwC and IBM. Known for his hands-on, operator-focused approach, Erik is dedicated to proactive problem-solving and delivering operational excellence at scale. Erik earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with honors, from Boston University, specializing in Corporate Finance Accounting and Management.