An investigation into the changing workplace of South African auditors and their experiences of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems and the implications for the auditing profession

Abstract

The ongoing technological development and advancements have led to changes to the audit profession in South Africa and an alteration of the audit professionals’ work life. This dissertation investigates the impact this change has had and may still have on the auditor. The focus is mainly on the auditor’s work life and work experiences in the face of this digital transformation, considering the impact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, such as audit tools and audit software packages, have on the auditors’ way of work and their workflow. The investigation adopted the concept of individual unlearning to better understand how exactly this impacted the auditor, allowing for insight into behaviour and attitude, enabling the auditor to interact and work well with the new Information Technology (IT) audit tools introduced/integrated into their work processes. This dissertation adopts the qualitative thematic analysis (TA), investigating the auditor, their thoughts, and perceptions on their experiences with IT audit tools used in the audit process, the impact that these IT audit tools have, and the support that the auditors receive from their designated workplace rather than solely focusing on the technology and the benefits it yields for the company. This approach ensured an understanding of the auditors’ preconceived outlooks on AI versus what they have experienced while incorporating them into their work processes. This allowed for further insight into the implications of integrating IT audit tools on the auditor’s role. Twenty in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with South African auditors from different audit companies. The chosen participants were placed into two cohorts; each had a key informant, allowing for the recruiting of other participants. It was found that the use of IT audit tools in audit has a direct influence on the manner in which the auditor experiences their work. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the role of the auditor is changing, thus implying changes in the profession, too. There should be continuous learning initiatives and adaptive strategies within South African audit firms. This dissertation contributes to the existing literature on the impact of digitalisation on the South African audit profession and its stakeholders.