Automation is changing the rules. Culture will decide the winners.

By: Leigh-Ann Burroughs, Principal Advisor

Travel & Expense is no longer a back-office function. Heading into 2026, it’s becoming a strategic lever powered by AI, anchored in trust, and shaped by culture.

The shift is clear: T&E is moving from reactive processing to proactive, AI-driven spend management. Organizations that succeed won’t just automate; they’ll integrate systems and rethink how finance and travel teams operate.

Traditional expense reports are fading fast. Agentic AI is already automating audit, approval, and reimbursement in real time, shifting finance from after-the-fact review to continuous verification.

At the same time, AI is reshaping the traveler experience. Smarter booking, automated disruption management, and simplified expenses are strengthening compliance, duty of care, and employee experience without adding friction.

As ecosystems across travel, finance, HR, and procurement converge, trust and transparency are becoming true differentiators. Data integrity, explainability, and governance now determine whether innovation accelerates or stalls.

Even under budget pressure, organizations, especially SMBs, are rethinking travel as an investment, not overhead. Technology, virtual cards, and pre-spend controls are helping leaders balance cash flow with growth.

Ultimately, culture will determine success. High-performing teams embrace learning and experimentation, allowing automation to free finance and travel leaders to focus on insight, forecasting, and strategy.

At Lyndon Group, we help organizations turn these shifts into practical action, guiding finance and travel leaders through T&E transformation with clarity, strong governance, and real-world execution.

In 2026, the leaders who embrace AI, integrate systems, and build trust-first cultures won’t just manage spend better, they’ll turn every trip and transaction into forward momentum.