Will AI Replace Finance Jobs in Detroit? Here’s What to Do in 2025

Detroit finance workers should treat 2025 as a turning point: Michigan's AI and the Workforce Plan warns AI could reshape nearly 2.8 million state jobs in the next 5–10 years while also creating up to 130,000 good-paying roles and roughly $70 billion in economic impact, so upgrading practical AI skills is now a local imperative; the plan prioritizes reskilling, apprenticeships, and small-business technical assistance to help workers and firms adopt AI responsibly.

For finance teams that want to keep the work (and paychecks) in Detroit, focus on prompt-writing, FP&A automation, and tool integration - skills taught in Nucamp's 15-week AI Essentials for Work (early-bird $3,582) - which turns AI from a threat into a productivity multiplier.

Learn more and register for Nucamp's AI Essentials for Work using the registration and syllabus links below.

Attribute	Information
Bootcamp	AI Essentials for Work
Length	15 Weeks
Courses included	AI at Work: Foundations; Writing AI Prompts; Job Based Practical AI Skills
Cost (early bird)	$3,582 (then $3,942)
Registration	Register for Nucamp AI Essentials for Work (15-week bootcamp)
Syllabus	AI Essentials for Work syllabus and course outline

“Working with AI technology helps prepare our workforce to lead with the skills and tools Michiganders need to thrive in a rapidly evolving economy,” said Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II.

AI is rebalancing finance work in Detroit by automating routine tasks while creating demand for technical and analytical roles: a Pearson-backed report found AI and automation could add 44,000 jobs to Michigan by 2028 even as roles that rely on repetitive entry and reconciliation face pressure, so the shift is tasks-first not simply job-loss; systems engineering and software roles are projected to see the largest percentage gains (computer systems engineering/architecture +20.2%).

Concrete examples for Detroit finance teams include automated FP&A consolidation and investor reporting - use cases Nucamp highlights like Datarails live FP&A dashboards and an automated board-ready monthly finance deck that eliminate manual consolidation across entities.

The upshot for Detroit finance professionals: prioritize skills that move work from repeatable bookkeeping and data-entry tasks into analysis, tool integration, and oversight - areas employers are actively hiring for in Michigan - so that automation becomes a productivity amplifier rather than a displacement.

“The key message is that technology is transforming jobs at a faster pace than ever before…increasing the demand for workers who can blend technical expertise with industry-specific skills.”

Read the full Pearson report on Michigan AI and automation job projections: Pearson report on Michigan AI and automation job projections (dBusiness).

In Detroit finance teams, routine transaction and reconciliation roles are most exposed to automation: job listings and hiring data show accounts payable/accounts receivable clerks, bookkeepers, payroll specialists and entry-level AP/AR roles perform repeatable work that invoice‑processing and cash‑application tools can increasingly handle - for examples see local AP/AR openings and Robert Half's list of in‑demand finance roles that includes AP, AR and bookkeeping as high‑volume positions (Robert Half 2025 finance and accounting demand report).

Safer roles in Detroit combine judgment, forecasting, and tool fluency: FP&A, controllers, financial managers and senior analysts remain in demand and often require modern analytics skills (Power BI, KNIME, VBA, SAP) that machines augment rather than replace - GM's Senior Financial Analyst posting in Detroit explicitly lists those modernization tools as requirements (GM Senior Financial Analyst job posting - Detroit).

For a practical rule: prioritize roles and training that move work from “entering numbers” to “interpreting scenarios and advising stakeholders,” a pattern researchers flag as the most resilient path forward (Research on finance jobs safe from AI and automation).

• Most at risk: AP / AR clerks, Bookkeepers, Payroll Specialists
• Safer / more resilient: FP&A / Financial Analysts, Controllers, Financial Managers

Concrete Michigan examples show how Detroit finance workers can use AI as an amplifier rather than a threat: United Wholesale Mortgage in Pontiac partnered with Google Cloud to deploy Gemini Flash 1.5 for underwriting automation and document processing - UWM reports underwriter throughput rising from about 6 loans per day to 14 - while rolling out the voice assistant “Mia” to call clients about refinancing and transfer interested borrowers to live brokers, demonstrating scaled outreach without a one‑for‑one headcount cut (UWM and Google Cloud Gemini Flash 1.5 press release; Detroit Free Press coverage of UWM “Mia” voice assistant).

Local talent pipelines - from Michigan State's short machine‑learning bootcamp to Wayne State and in‑house training at firms like UWM - are producing workers who can govern, integrate, and monitor these systems, which is the practical skill set Detroit employers are hiring for now (Detroit News coverage of Michigan AI training and upskilling).

Attribute	Detail
UWM Headquarters	Pontiac, Michigan
Partnership tech	Google Cloud AI - Gemini Flash 1.5
Underwriter productivity	≈6 → 14 loans/day
Mia (voice AI)	Unveiled mid‑May 2025; outbound refinance calls, payment reminders, warm transfers
Target user base	~50,000 mortgage brokers
UWM IT team	~1,200 engineers (in‑house build focus)

“How can we take the most mundane and tedious parts of your job and have AI just automatically do those for you, pass it through the system, so you can do more meaningful work?” - Jason Bressler

Michigan's AI and the Workforce Plan signals that Detroit finance workers should treat AI as both a risk and a roadmap: the state projects up to $70 billion in economic impact and the creation of 130,000 good‑paying jobs while warning that as many as 2.8 million roles statewide could be reshaped in the next 5–10 years, so local finance pros must lean into state-backed reskilling, apprenticeships, and employer partnerships to stay competitive; the plan's three pillars - investing in skill development, mapping workforce needs, and enabling small/medium businesses with technical assistance - translate into concrete opportunities for Detroit teams to access flexible training and paid apprenticeships, tap shared AI tools, and partner with employers that will fund on‑the‑job upskilling (Michigan already ranks No.

1 in adult credential attainment). Explore the full Michigan AI and Workforce Plan for program details and use Nucamp's Complete Guide to learn the specific AI and analytics skills Detroit employers want.

Michigan AI and the Workforce Plan - Michigan LEO announcement and details | Complete Guide to Using AI for Detroit Finance Professionals - Nucamp AI Essentials syllabus

Metric / Pillar	Detail
Projected economic impact	$70 billion
Good‑paying jobs created	130,000
Jobs reshaped (5–10 years)	Up to 2.8 million
Core pillars	Skill development; workforce landscape guidance; business enablement/technical assistance

“Michigan needs to take action now to make sure we stay ahead in the future – creating a resilient economy for our residents and employers,” said LEO Director Susan Corbin.

Detroit finance professionals should target pragmatic, employer‑ready technical skills this year: learn data analytics (SQL, Python, Excel, Tableau) to automate FP&A and build dashboards, get comfortable with full‑stack web fundamentals (HTML/CSS, JavaScript, React, Node, databases) to own integrations, and add cybersecurity basics to help secure AI pipelines - all taught locally through structured bootcamps and centers.

Practical pathways include the LTU + Springboard bootcamps (software engineering, data analytics, cybersecurity; 6–9 month timelines with 15–20 hrs/week and the first cohort starting Jan.

13, 2025) and Detroit's full‑stack developer tracks that emphasize portfolio projects and employer coaching; both give the rapid, project‑based practice finance teams need to move from manual consolidation to oversight and automation.

So what: committing 6–9 months to one of these focused programs can shift a finance role from data‑entry to analytics ownership, making a candidate far more likely to be retained or promoted as employers adopt AI. Explore local options like the LTU and Springboard tech bootcamps in software engineering, data analytics, and cybersecurity and the Detroit full‑stack developer program at DSDT for schedules, projects, and career support.

Skill to Learn	Local Program
Data analytics (SQL, Python, Tableau)	LTU + Springboard Data Analytics Bootcamp
Full‑stack web development (React, Node, DBs)	DSDT Full Stack Developer Program
Cybersecurity fundamentals	LTU + Springboard Cybersecurity Bootcamp; WCCCD CAT Center offerings

“We're excited to partner with Springboard to provide cutting-edge programs that prepare students for meaningful careers in the technology sector,” said Lisa Kujawa, LTU vice president of enrollment management.

LTU and Springboard tech bootcamps in software engineering, data analytics, and cybersecurity | Detroit full‑stack developer program at DSDT

Start by mapping every task you do each week and label which are repeatable versus judgment-based - use a finance audit checklist to expose where automation can remove grunt work and where human oversight still matters (see a practical checklist at Nominal and a step‑by‑step template at Financial Cents).

Next, prioritize: automate bank reconciliations, invoice matching, and routine PBC items first, then reallocate saved time to forecasting, variance analysis, and stakeholder communication.

Third, pick a concrete upskill path - learn SQL/Excel automation and a visualization tool, plus basic prompt-writing and integration fundamentals - and commit to a focused program (many Detroit pathways show 6–9 months at 15–20 hrs/week achieves marketable results).

Fourth, practice on real work: centralize files, keep a live PBC tracker, and pilot a cloud audit or FP&A dashboard so automation proofs are visible to managers.

Finally, document governance for any tool you deploy and build a short resume bullet that ties your automation project to a measurable outcome (hours saved, faster close, fewer audit queries) - that single metric is the “so what” managers notice when deciding who keeps the role or earns the promotion.

Safe AI deployment for Detroit finance teams starts with a governance layer that keeps humans in control: adopt a human‑in‑the‑loop model and a phased “crawl–walk–run” rollout so tools are inventoried, pilot‑tested, and only expanded as controls prove effective (see Unit21's AI governance best practices).

Tie AI oversight to existing risk programs - SOX, AML, and audit routines - so AI outputs that affect regulatory outcomes (for example, SARs or customer‑exit recommendations) always require human sign‑off and documented escalation paths, and embed data quality, versioning, and audit trails to preserve transparency for internal and external audits (Deloitte's guidance on AI transparency and reliability).

Build cross‑functional accountability (clear owners for models, dev, and users), continuous monitoring and sampling of AI outputs, and training so analysts know when to override automation; combine these steps with vendor and third‑party controls to manage supply‑chain risk.

For Detroit teams, the practical payoff is measurable: governance that documents a human sign‑off and an audit trail turns AI deployments from regulatory exposure into auditable efficiency gains.

Learn more from practical frameworks for finance teams at Unit21, Crowe, and Deloitte.

Core Control	Practical Action
Human‑in‑the‑loop	Human review & sign‑off for alerts affecting SARs/customer exits
Data & model governance	Inventory tools, enforce data quality, use version control
Testing & monitoring	Continuous validation, periodic sampling of outputs
Accountability & documentation	Defined owners, audit trails, policy updates

“Protection at the pace of AI.”

Detroit finance professionals seeking practical retraining can tap a compact network of Michigan programs that combine employer‑facing tech skills with credentialing: the Apple Developer Academy in downtown Detroit offers a free, in‑person 10‑month program (20 hours/week) focused on coding, design, and entrepreneurship at 660 Woodward Ave.

(Apple Developer Academy Detroit coding program); Michigan State runs 24‑week, part‑time coding and data‑analytics bootcamps through its Trilogy partnership to move learners into developer and analytics roles quickly (MSU x Trilogy part-time coding and data analytics boot camps); and MSU Online's 30‑credit Master of Science in Accounting and Data Analytics provides a flexible credential for accountants who need analytics and data‑science depth (MSU Online M.S. in Accounting & Data Analytics).

So what: these options let finance workers shift from manual tasks to analytics and integration work in months (bootcamps) or gain a marketable graduate credential while working (online MS), and program offices like Broad's finance department can be contacted directly for advising at MSU Broad finance advising email.

Program	Format & Length	Focus
Apple Developer Academy (Detroit)	In‑person, 10 months, 20 hrs/week	Coding, UX/design, entrepreneurship - free to attend
MSU Trilogy Bootcamps	Part‑time, 24 weeks	Full‑stack web development, data analytics
MSU Online - M.S. Accounting & Data Analytics	Online, 30 credits (≈2 years)	Accounting foundations + data analytics

“In just a handful of years, we've witnessed a transformation in Detroit's economy and a growing demand for skilled tech workers across all industries. We're launching the MSU Coding Boot Camp to help meet that increasing demand and fill the new pipeline of technology talent for Detroit's businesses,” said Leo Kempel, Dean of the MSU College of Engineering.

Detroit finance professionals can convert uncertainty into progress with a six-step, 12-month plan: Month 1 - set clear business objectives tied to measurable KPIs (close time, error reduction, report cadence) and align stakeholders using a proven 12-month AI roadmap framework (12-month AI roadmap guide for building an AI roadmap that delivers business value); Months 2–3 - assess data readiness and close gaps so pilots run on clean, auditable inputs; Months 4–6 - launch a focused pilot (FP&A consolidation, variance-analysis automation or call summarization) with human‑in‑the‑loop reviews; Months 7–9 - formalize governance, vendor controls, and mandatory generative‑AI risk training modeled on enterprise rollouts; Months 10–11 - scale successful pilots across teams and integrate with existing ERP/BI; Month 12 - measure ROI, document outcomes, and publish a playbook for hiring and reskilling.

Use Ally Financial's playbook for training and responsible rollout as a template for required controls and fluency resources (Ally Financial enterprise AI rollout and training practices); committing to this cadence makes a single, visible pilot the lever that preserves roles and wins budget for broader automation.

Months	Action
1	Define objectives & KPIs
2–3	Data audit & readiness fixes
4–6	Pilot with human‑in‑the‑loop
7–9	Governance, training, vendor controls
10–11	Scale integrations & operations
12	Measure ROI & publish playbook

“As we build the future of banking, we know the importance of keeping technology at the center of our growth strategy in a responsible way. This undertaking has been years in the works as we've methodically scaled our use of AI across the enterprise. Now, with an AI-empowered workforce, our teammates will have a richer experience and benefit from the intentional approach we've taken to driving AI fluency through education, while keeping the human factor at the center of every decision.”

Common myths say AI will simply “replace” Detroit finance jobs overnight, but reality is more nuanced: the newest, most powerful systems are actually hallucinating more often - producing confident but incorrect facts - which makes blind automation risky for regulated finance work in Michigan (New York Times report on AI hallucinations getting worse).

Surveys and industry research confirm hallucinations are widespread (one survey found a large share of ML engineers see them regularly), so the practical takeaway for Detroit teams is this: treat AI as a task-level tool, not an autonomous decision‑maker, and insist on proven mitigations - retrieval‑augmented generation, human‑in‑the‑loop signoffs, versioned data sources, and clear governance - before any AI output is used in client advice, filings, or trading decisions (PwC guidance on mitigating AI hallucinations in enterprise workflows, Fortune survey of ML engineers on AI hallucinations).

So what: one well‑documented control - mandatory human sign‑off on AI‑generated figures used in reports - can protect clients, preserve trust, and make automation a job‑saving productivity amplifier rather than a liability.

“AI hallucinations can severely undermine customer trust and brand reputation.”

Detroit finance careers are more likely to be reshaped than erased: Michigan's AI and the Workforce Plan projects up to $70 billion in economic impact and 130,000 new good‑paying jobs while prioritizing reskilling, apprenticeships, and small‑business technical assistance - so the practical move is to treat AI as augmentation and invest in concrete training that shifts work from manual entry to analysis and oversight.

A focused pathway matters: a quarter‑length program such as Nucamp's 15‑week AI Essentials for Work (early‑bird $3,582) teaches prompt writing, tool integration, and FP&A automation that employers in Detroit are asking for; pairing that with state-backed training and employer pilots turns automation into a retention and promotion lever rather than a threat.

Act now: pick one measurable pilot, document hours saved, and make the “so what?” - a single metric - to secure your role as AI makes finance more strategic. Michigan AI and the Workforce Plan (Michigan LEO) | Nucamp AI Essentials for Work syllabus and registration

Metric	Detail
State projection	$70 billion economic impact; 130,000 good‑paying jobs (Michigan LEO)
Nucamp pathway	AI Essentials for Work - 15 weeks; early‑bird $3,582; syllabus: Nucamp AI Essentials for Work syllabus

“Michigan needs to take action now to make sure we stay ahead in the future – creating a resilient economy for our residents and employers,” said LEO Director Susan Corbin.