Sixty-two percent of respondents to ISACA’s recent 2024 AI Pulse Poll believe AI will have a positive impact on audit/assurance in the next year – the highest number compared to other domains like risk, compliance, security, IT strategy/governance, and privacy.

While a majority (79%) of respondents agree many jobs will be modified due to AI in the next five years, the research also revealed some uncertainties around AI. Thirty-eight percent of respondents believe that AI will have a negative impact on privacy as a professional domain in the next year, and 28% believe AI will have a negative impact on security.

Additionally, one fifth (19%) of respondents indicate they are not at all confident in their ability to detect AI-powered misinformation and a similarly, 20% echoed this lack of confidence in their company’s abilities.

However, with the poll finding that 25% of respondents say that their organisation is considering increasing those AI jobs, and that 86% say they will need AI training within two years to help them retain their roles or advance their careers, it is apparent that even in the midst of uncertainty, education and training has become increasingly important for professionals to keep pace.

Chris Dimitriadis, chief global strategy officer at ISACA, said: “As AI continues to change many professions in fields across IT, from cybersecurity to risk and privacy, it’s crucial that we respond to the changing landscape and understand AI’s applications and implications.

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“To both expand their professional knowledge and futureproof their careers, IT and digital trust professionals at all career stages should explore the range of tools at their disposal to stay informed and relevant when it comes to emerging technologies like AI.”

With AI holding significant potential for the IT audit profession, ISACA has launched an introductory course to AI for auditors, alongside other new online, self-paced AI courses on ethics and machine learning for business enablement, as part of its expanding AI education offerings.