Emerging digital technologies and auditing firms: Opportunities and challenges

Abstract

This article aims to analyse the impacts of new technologies, namely robotic process automation (RPA) and artificial intelligence (AI), on auditing firms. In particular, we focus on the companies’ everyday activities, organisational structure, hiring practices, and the competitive gap between Big4 and non-Big4 auditing firms. To this end, the article is based on a field study involving 14 auditing companies, both Big4 and non-Big4, from the list provided by Consob. The results reveal auditors’ differing perceptions and opinions regarding the future of auditing firms. According to the first viewpoint, new technologies will have a positive impact on auditors as they will be allowed to focus on value-added activities. Second, some respondents do not expect changes to the traditional structure of the companies due to the application of digital tools, while other auditors hypothesised two different scenarios regarding structural changes. Third, the interviewees contend that auditors of the future should gain IT and data analytics skills, which could affect the hiring practices of these companies. Fourth, regarding the current differences between large and smaller firms, some participants stated that emerging technologies could widen that gap, while some auditors of non-Big4 firms claimed that modern tools offer an opportunity for the smaller companies to slightly reduce the gap. In sum, the findings reveal that, although RPA and AI are not widely used and the impact of these technologies on auditing firms is controversial, multiple changes are on the horizon in this regard.