AI is reshaping audit and accounting — on a foundation of trust and responsibility

Audit and accounting firms have stopped asking whether to adopt AI. Now they're focused on something more consequential: how to do it right.

A new global study from IDC, sponsored by Caseware, makes this clear. The Future of Audit and Accounting in the AI Era - a study of more than 1,000 audit and accounting professionals worldwide - reveals a profession embracing AI with confidence and purpose, while setting a clear course for responsible, sustainable deployment.

Adoption is today's reality

Two-thirds of respondents (66%) say AI is already embedded into their firm strategy, widely used in select functions or that pilot projects are underway. AI adoption is no longer a future state. With that momentum firmly established, the profession's attention is turning to the frameworks and foundations needed to power the next phase of AI integration.

Security and ethics over raw performance

One of the study's most telling findings: more than half of audit leaders (55%) say they are willing or very willing to trade some level of AI performance in exchange for stronger security or safety measures.

In many industries, faster and more capable AI is simply better. In audit and accounting, performance only counts when it doesn't compromise the integrity of the work. As David Marquis, CEO of Caseware, put it: "The question is no longer whether to adopt but how to deploy AI in a way that the profession can truly depend on."

A global call for harmonized standards

As AI scales across jurisdictions, regulatory complexity is coming sharply into focus. Two-thirds of respondents (66%) believe there is an urgent need for a globally harmonized AI framework for audit and assurance. The fragmented regulatory landscape creates operational uncertainty for firms deploying AI across borders and the profession is ready to lead the conversation on what a unified approach should look like.

Bias management: A critical priority

Nearly four in five respondents (79%) rate the risk of algorithmic bias in AI systems used for critical functions, including risk assessment, fraud detection and decision-making support, as moderately, very or extremely significant.

When AI influences decisions that affect businesses, reputations and public confidence, algorithmic integrity isn't a technical concern, but a professional one. Governance mechanisms that detect and mitigate bias are becoming central to how responsible AI strategies are built.

The defining advantage

Mickey North Rizza, Group Vice-President, Enterprise Software at IDC, summarized the moment well: "The competitive advantage will come from how effectively firms embed governance, harmonize with standards and operationalize responsible AI at scale. Those that act decisively now to align innovation with trust, security and transparency will be best positioned to lead in the next era of audit and assurance."

Progress in this profession will be measured not solely by technological advancement, but by how rigorously firms align innovation with accountability.

Explore the full IDC study for detailed statistics and deeper perspectives around AI adoption in audit and accounting.

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