The seminar "Auditing in the new era - Enhancing auditing capacity with AI" organized by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) aims to discuss the role of state audit in promoting transparency, accountability and effective and sustainable public financial management. At the same time, share experiences in applying technology, big data and artificial intelligence (AI) to auditing activities as well as discuss the orientation of building a policy framework and strategy for developing public audit in line with global trends and Vietnam's characteristics.
Long-term trend, not a fad
During the discussion, experts all shared the opinion that AI is a long-term and inevitable trend. Mr. Phan Ngoc Anh - Deputy General Director of Audit Services at Deloitte Vietnam said that globally, AI is not a short-term trend but the long-term future of all professions, not just finance, accounting or auditing.
"We can clearly see this through the example of the birth of ChatGPT and then a series of other AI applications. As soon as they were put into use, they created many changes in the operations of all fields, from manufacturing, consumer goods to service industries such as finance and accounting," said Mr. Ngoc Anh.
Agreeing with this view, Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Lan Anh - Director of Technology and Banking at Standard Chartered Bank cited a Gartner report saying that 39% of CIOs in the financial industry prioritize the application of generative AI, while a PwC survey showed that 82% of CEOs in Asia - Pacific have deployed AI in the past 5 years.
At Standard Chartered, Ms. Lan Anh said AI has proven to be extremely effective: “We have seen AI reduce operating costs by 68%, increase data processing speed from 380 seconds to just 8 seconds, and detect unprecedented cyber security threats.”
According to Ms. Lan Anh, AI not only optimizes internal operations but also has the ability to reshape business models through product personalization and enhancing customer experience. From there, reshape the bank's business model.
"Through the process of working with customers and partners, we see this trend more clearly. Therefore, I can affirm with certainty that: AI is not a short-term trend, but a long-term and inevitable trend," emphasized the Director of Technology and Banking at Standard Chartered Bank.
It is a powerful tool but does not replace people.
From the perspective of state agencies, Mr. Pham Huy Thong - Deputy Director of the Department of Information Technology, State Audit, said that applying AI is a "mandatory requirement" to solve the problem of overload.
“The workload of the State Audit is increasing, while human resources are limited. Currently, we can only audit a sample of about 10-20% of bank branches,” Mr. Thong shared.
Therefore, the goal of the State Audit is not to use AI to replace humans, but to support auditors in improving the quality and expanding the scope of work, especially in complex thematic audits that require analyzing huge amounts of data.
On the audit side, Mr. Phan Ngoc Anh said Deloitte has developed many specialized AI tools to improve efficiency and bring value to customers. Tools such as Deloitte Connect, Document Insights AI and Research Assistant help automate many processes from connecting with customers, analyzing documents, assessing risks to proposing audit procedures.
“AI can review tens of thousands of contracts to detect discrepancies, but the final decision and professional judgment still belongs to the auditor. Humans are the ones who are ultimately responsible,” said Mr. Ngoc Anh.
According to experts, besides the obvious benefits, AI deployment also faces many major challenges.
First, data security and risk management are top priorities. Mr. Ngoc Anh said Deloitte has built a “Trustworthy AI Framework” with seven core elements, in which information security is the focus. He warned of the risk of “algorithmic bias” due to unbiased input data and the risk of cyber attacks to steal data.
Second, technology infrastructure and data connectivity are still limited, especially in the public sector. According to Mr. Pham Huy Thong, the State Audit is implementing a project to invest in Big Data and AI infrastructure, expected to start in 2026. However, data sharing between ministries and branches still faces obstacles due to differences in security levels; a long-term solution is expected in the National Data Center.
Finally, high-quality human resources are a common challenge for both the public and private sectors. Mr. Thong admitted that attracting technology talent is still difficult due to limited incentives, but the Government has issued support policies, allowances and mechanisms for hiring experts. The State Audit is also implementing “Digital Literacy for All” training programs and international cooperation with ACCA to improve the capacity of the team.
Earlier, in his opening speech, Mr. Bui Quoc Dung - Deputy Auditor General of Vietnam highly appreciated ACCA for organizing today's event. The event was attended by Ms. Ayla Majid - Chairwoman of ACCA Global - a pioneering woman in the field of finance and technology - a symbol of global vision and the spirit of professional integration.
"We know that ACCA is not only a professional certification organization, but also a global movement for ethics, competence and the future of the auditing profession. ACCA and the State Audit of Vietnam have had very effective cooperation programs over the years - from training high-quality human resources to innovative initiatives on public administration, sustainable finance and digital transformation," said Mr. Dung.
In the context of globalization, the Deputy State Auditor General of Vietnam expressed his belief that the strength of the auditing profession does not come from individual countries, but from the connection of knowledge, data and international standards.
AI not only requires a change in tools but also a change in audit thinking. From “checking what happened” to “analyzing what is happening” and “predicting what will happen”, from “auditing records” to “auditing data”, and from “reporting results” to “making valuable recommendations for public policy”.
Accordingly, auditors in the new era must be people who converge three factors: honesty, intelligence and responsibility. Auditors must have a deep understanding of ethics and law; know how to use technology and AI as analytical tools; and be responsible for serving citizens and sustainable development.
" The world is changing faster than ever, but the core values of the auditing profession – independence, objectivity and transparency – will never change. AI, big data or any other technology is only truly meaningful when we use it to serve truth, justice and trust of society," the Deputy Auditor General of the State Audit of Vietnam emphasized.
Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/cong-nghe/ung-dung-ai-trong-kiem-toan-xu-the-dai-han-hay-trao-luu-nhat-thoi/20251013041428444
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