Artificial intelligence is reshaping how Williams’ Finance and Accounting teams approach their work. Across the organization, employees are using AI to speed analysis, improve consistency and free up more time for higher-value decision-making.

The result is not just faster work for one team, but a growing example of how employees across Williams can use AI to solve everyday business challenges.

There’s no single way we’re using AI. The applications are broad, and that’s what makes AI so powerful. Teams are finding different ways to strengthen their work.

Mary Hausman, vice president and chief accounting officer.

Employee-led experimentation is a key part of that momentum, said Mary Hausman, vice president and chief accounting officer.

“It’s not about leadership having the ideas,” she said. “The people doing the work are the ones finding ways to use these tools that make a real difference.”

Faster analysis with Copilot

In reporting, AI is helping teams get to insights faster.

Accounting teams are using Copilot to reduce the effort required to produce variance analyses, cutting time spent gathering information and giving employees more time to focus on what the numbers mean.

Instead of building every analysis manually, teams can move more quickly from data gathering to insight.

“It helps us get to the answer more quickly,” said Amber Sommer, financial systems and automation analyst. “Instead of building the analysis from scratch, we can focus on what the numbers are telling us.”

Practical tools built by employees

Employees are also using AI to build tools that can scale across teams.

One example is an AI-built asset cheat sheet now used across the company to help employees understand our assets. Accounting supervisor Eugene McLaughlin created the resource with AI, turning it into a practical tool employees can use to quickly find information about major facilities and systems.

“It’s a resource people can go to and quickly find what they need,” McLaughlin said. “That saves time and keeps everyone aligned.”

What’s next

Hausman said Williams has built an innovation network across teams where employees are sharing ideas, bringing forward challenges and working together on solutions.

As more employees see AI in action, interest continues to grow and teams are spotting new opportunities to improve workflows. At the same time, she said the goal is not to apply technology for its own sake.

“Sometimes it’s about stepping back, asking why and simplifying the work before you automate it,” Hausman said.

“Once people see real examples, it creates excitement,” she added. “It’s no longer theoretical. They can see how it works and start coming up with their own ideas.”