On technology, professional judgment and auditors as social animals: FAR-conference 2023

In June 2023, the yearly conference of the Foundation for Auditing Research (FAR) was held at Nyenrode Business Universiteit. The main theme was ‘Auditors and their judgments’. In this respect, also the role of technology was frequently discussed. 'Is artificial intelligence going to replace the auditor?', was the obvious, but important, thought-provoking question. This question was mainly discussed regarding the extent to which technology can help the auditor during the conduct of an audit. Routine actions will increasingly be taken over by technology. Also, technology is better able than humans to detect trends and inconsistencies. However, judgment will remain essential.