It’s no secret that AI is being used for more and more of our daily activities, including raising our children.
AI has been an important tool in revolutionising many sectors and the way that business is conducted, and this has been notably pronounced with financial firms adopting AI for a whole host of tasks.
When it comes to AI audits, there is a concern that the process may have become too automated, with many unregulated AI auditors abandoning quality and sense in favour of hollow reassurances and a quick profit.
As new legislation comes into force, we look at whether the end is nigh for AI in audits.
What is changing for AI audits?
Given the excitement around AI adoption, it is little wonder that the utilisation of AI has outpaced any official attempts to implement guidelines and regulations.
Unfortunately, this has resulted in a ‘Wild West’ of AI audits, where unregulated providers claim to be able to do an expert-level job without any of the experience or technical knowledge to back it up.
The British Standards Institution (BSI) recently warned that hundreds of unchecked groups are now offering AI audits, raising doubts about both methodological rigour and true independence.
Rather than being used by professionals as a way to streamline existing processes, these AI auditors are outsourcing all the thinking to AI systems that may not have been developed specifically for audits.
Many of us have heard of AI displaying sycophantic behaviour, and this likely means that any business audited by one of these firms will have received a positive, but likely erroneous, audit report.
Fortunately, there is legislation being implemented that should change how AI is used for auditing.
From 31 July 2025, the BS ISO/IEC 42006:2025 will define competencies and processes for audit firms to better guide them on how to utilise AI.
The legislation may not specifically target the AI systems themselves but establish consistent methodologies to evaluate whether organisations are following BS ISO/IEC 42001:2023, which is the existing AI management framework first released in 2023.
Will the new legislation kill AI use in audits?
The only AI auditors who should be worried about the new legislation are those who were cutting corners and offering no value for money.
The new legislation works to ensure audit robustness, coherence and consistency by prescribing minimum qualifications, ethical safeguards, and transparency measures.
This might sound like the bare minimum, and it is worrying that it has taken so long for this to come into effect, but it is a step in the right direction.
We fully believe that smart use of AI can transform an audit into something that benefits both auditors and businesses alike.
The real problem is when auditors or businesses place their trust in an AI system that is not fit for purpose.
If you want an AI you can trust, you should consider the new AI Assist within Glasscubes.
Now, the Glasscubes software that has been helping auditors streamline their work has been enhanced with AI features.
This can transform client information into clear, actionable insights, instantly giving auditors the power to jump into action.
Glasscubes’ AI assist can review any client documents, even if they are messy scrawls of handwritten notes, and provide you with a clear, structured set of data that can actually be used.
All of this is combined with the automated follow-ups that are a standard, and beloved, part of Glasscubes, which means your time is not wasted asking clients for vital information.
New legislation might be bringing an end to sketchy AI use in audits, but quality systems will always be there to elevate your services and help you achieve greater client satisfaction.
Perfect your auditing prowess by booking a demo today!
