Technology in the Audit

Technology is transforming the audit landscape as Canadian audit firms integrate advanced tools, including agentic artificial intelligence (AI) in their audit workflows. These innovations offer opportunities to improve audit quality, promote consistency and improve efficiency in the audit, but they also introduce new risks.

The use of technology continues to be a focus in our inspections. This includes evaluating the system of quality management practices associated with obtaining or developing, approving, implementing and maintaining automated tools and techniques (ATTs) at both the firm-level and engagement-level. 

To support auditors and audit firms in navigating the evolving environment, CPAB published The use of artificial intelligence in the audit — balancing innovation and risk  and more recently, The evolving use of technology in auditing, which outline our observations as well as additional risks to consider.

Internationally, CPAB leads the International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators’ (IFIAR) Technology Task Force (TTF). The mandate of this task force includes sharing insights, approaches and findings on the use of technology with other audit regulators, and enhancing the understanding of how technological resources are used by the six largest international audit networks with the objective of improving audit quality.