Artificial intelligence is starting to have the capability to improve both financial reporting and auditing. However, both companies and audit firms will only realize the benefits of AI if their people are open to the information generated by the technology. A new study forthcoming in Review of Accounting Studies attempts to understand how financial executives perceive and respond to the use of AI in both financial reporting and auditing.

In “How do Financial Executives Respond to the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Financial Reporting and Auditing?,” researchers surveyed financial executives (e.g., CFOs, controllers) to assess their perceptions of AI use in their companies’ financial reporting process, as well as the use of AI by their financial statement auditor. The study is authored by Nikki MacKenzie of the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business, Cassandra Estep from Emory University, and Emily Griffith of the University of Wisconsin.

“We were curious about how financial executives would respond to AI-generated information as we often hear how the financial statements are a joint product of the company and their auditors. While we find that financial executives are rightfully cautious about the use of AI, we do not find that they are averse to its use as has been previously reported. In fact, a number of our survey respondents were excited about AI and see the significant benefits for their companies’ financial reporting process,” says MacKenzie.

Continue reading: The Use of AI by Financial Executives and Their Auditors

Reprinted from Forbes