The Audit Podcast

This week, Michelle Jackson and Edgar Berrios, internal audit leaders at MIT, join the show.
 
Drawing from their work at MIT, they share a practical perspective on how AI is being integrated into the audit process. Their approach goes beyond the technology itself, emphasizing the importance of guidelines, mindset, and human oversight to create AI solutions that are effective and responsible.
 
The conversation explores how AI is transforming audit teams today. From defining agentic AI to practical use cases like drafting audit findings and improving communication, Michelle and Edgar break down what's actually working in practice. They also discuss the importance of clear governance and human review to ensure quality outputs.
 
The episode also includes a real-world walkthrough showing how to build an AI agent using Copilot.
 
Be sure to connect with Michelle and Edgar on LinkedIn.
 
1:32 - Best Chat prompts
5:10 - Agentic AI Explained
7:00 - Prioritizing Company Use Cases for Agentic AI
10:20 - Developing Guidelines and Guardrails for Agentic AI
14:23 - How to Build an Agent
25:55 - Drafting an Audit Finding
32:17 - Final Thoughts
 
Be sure to connect with Mark on LinkedIn. Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
 
Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.
 
This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. 
 
Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule.

It's tomorrow!
 
The Audit Analytics and AI Conference is here!
 
One thing I hear constantly at conferences is that there's plenty of AI talk, but not enough real examples of how teams are actually using it day to day.
 
That's always been the goal of this conference.
 
This year, we went back through five years of speakers and brought back some of the highest-rated sessions, the people who didn't just talk theory, but actually pulled up their screens and showed how they're using AI and analytics in practice.
 
And if you can't make it live tomorrow, recordings will be available as well.
 
Last chance to register here: https://theauditanalyticsconference.com/register/

This week, Andrew Struthers-Kennedy takes over hosting duties for The Audit Podcast… and interviews me!
 
We cover audit, risk, AI, and technology, with a conversation that ties closely to themes from The Audit Analytics and AI Conference, where innovation and practical adoption are front and center.
 
We get into where AI is showing up in the audit process, what teams can realistically start implementing today, and where vendors vs. in-house solutions make the most sense. I also reflect on six years of podcast conversations with audit leaders and share one of the biggest lessons I've learned.
 
Be sure to connect with Andrew on LinkedIn.
 
5:23 - Predictions for audit 2026
8:05 - AI or bust
11:16 - Most memorable pieces of advice from the audit podcast
15:15 - Trent answers Rapid fire questions
15:20 - How AI should be utilized in audit teams
17:15 - The audit analytics and AI Spring conference
21:10 - Wrap Up
 
Be sure to connect with Mark on LinkedIn. Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
 
Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.
 
This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. 
 
Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule.

This week, Sandro Boeri, former President of the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors and a globally recognized voice in the profession, joins the show.
 
He brings a perspective shaped by decades in the profession—combining practical experience with a strong focus on leadership, culture, and how internal audit needs to evolve to stay relevant. Rather than focusing only on tools, he emphasizes mindset, discipline, and the role auditors play in influencing better decisions.
 
The conversation centers on how the role of internal audit is shifting. From using AI as a thinking partner in everyday scenarios to the growing pressure to clearly articulate value, he shares what's changing—and what auditors need to do about it. He also breaks down the idea of moving beyond hindsight-based assurance toward becoming a trusted advisor present in key decisions.
 
Be sure to connect with Sandro on LinkedIn.
6:00 - Dealing with difficult emails using LLM
8:55 – The Adoption Journey of AI
11:43 – What Are You Teaching Right Now
13:00 – Is Internal Audit Becoming Irrelevant
15:42 - Why Audit Needs to Sell Its Value
16:30 - Why Audit Needs to Sell Its Value
20:17 - How Do You Audit Culture
25:43 - Selling Findings
27:46 - What Happens When AI Does the Audit Work
34:05 - Why Influence is the One Skill That Will Matter Most
40:15 – Final thoughts
 
Be sure to connect with Mark on LinkedIn. Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
 
Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.
 
This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. 
 
Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule.

This week, internal audit leaders Andrew Struthers-Kennedy and Arpit Shah join the show.
 
They bring a perspective grounded in real-world innovation—leading a team that's been recognized with the Audit Innovator Award two years in a row. They share how their approach goes beyond tools and technology, focusing instead on mindset, leadership, and creating an environment where ideas can take shape.
 
The conversation centers on how innovation really happens inside audit teams. From using AI as a day-to-day thinking partner to building and deploying solutions quickly, they break down what's working in practice. They also walk through the Innovator Award—how it started, what it recognizes, and why showcasing real examples of progress in the profession matters.
 
This is a quick, practical episode packed with insights on experimentation, leadership, and how teams of any size can start making progress—without waiting for the perfect solution.
 
Be sure to connect with Andrew and Arpit on LinkedIn.
 
5:17 - AI Problem Solving
12:27 – Using AI for Real Life Logistics
22:30 – Prioritizing Tax Data Accuracy in the Audit Plan
30:05 – How Their Audit Team Is Structured for Innovation
32:11 – Final thoughts
 
Be sure to connect with Mark on LinkedIn. Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
 
Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.
 
This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. 
 
Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule.