AI TRENDS | BDO Report: AI Adoption in Finance Nears 100% as Governance Lags

AI tools are deeply embedded in key financial workflows, and 99% of surveyed finance leaders said their companies use AI to generate financial estimates or inform financial judgments subject to external audit. According to Sina Finance, the findings come from BDO’s third annual Audit Innovation Survey, which interviewed 200 finance leaders about AI’s impact on businesses and auditing. Fewer than half of the organizations surveyed had comprehensive policies to verify every AI-generated output. While finance leaders expect AI to improve audits, they also worry that overreliance could weaken professional judgment and introduce new risks. About 65% of respondents said broader use of AI in auditing could improve rigor and reduce human error. Asked about the main benefits of auditors using AI and automation, 27% cited more time to assess complex risks and unusual transactions, while 24% cited greater consistency and coverage. About 63% said agentic AI would bring the most significant improvement in audit quality over the next three years. BDO National Assurance Managing Partner Demetrios Frangiskatos said organizations need clear strategies that combine team innovation with technology platforms. He said companies should establish quality controls to ensure the technology and its outputs are reliable, and that human judgment, risk identification, and assessment remain central to the process.