Internal audit is at a defining moment. For years, the function has been the backbone of assurance—testing controls, identifying compliance gaps and providing objective oversight. But today’s environment is rewriting the playbook. Automation, AI and real-time data have changed how organizations operate—and with that, how auditors create value.
The new challenge isn’t just ensuring compliance; it’s anticipating risk. Internal audit must evolve from confirming what went wrong to predicting what could go better. At SolomonEdwards, we see this evolution every day as we help CFOs and audit leaders strengthen controls, modernize compliance frameworks, and embed data-driven insights across the enterprise.
From Assurance to Anticipation
Internal audit’s traditional role was retrospective, analyzing what happened after the fact. But in today’s environment, speed and foresight matter just as much as accuracy.
That’s why leading organizations are reframing internal audit as a strategic partner in enterprise risk management. Rather than working in isolation, audit now connects with governance, risk and compliance (GRC) to provide enterprise-wide visibility.
Our GRC services are designed to enable that transformation. We help finance and audit leaders:
- Ensure compliance across SOX, FCPA, cyber security, data privacy and emerging regulations
- Streamline controls through audits, assessments and frameworks
- Mitigate risks to improve strategic decision-making and resilience
Read how we helped a newly public aerospace company establish a scalable SOX program and elevate internal audit to proactive, risk-aligned oversight that supported growth and long-term resilience.
Supporting SOX Compliance from IPO Through Growth and Expansion
The Curiosity Mindset: Elevating Audit Beyond the Checklist
As Alec Elmore will share at the upcoming IIA Philadelphia Fall Conference, the greatest skill for tomorrow’s auditor isn’t technical—it’s curiosity.
In his Data Elevation Model, Alec outlines how auditors can translate data into insight through five repeatable steps: Observe, Question, Interpret, Connect and Advise. This framework empowers auditors to go beyond the checklist and uncover meaning within the numbers.
Three mindset shifts stand out:
From Certainty to Curiosity
Today’s auditors must act as investigators, not just validators. Instead of asking “Did this control fail?”, the better question is “What pattern does this reveal?”
From Control to Context
Internal audit shouldn’t operate in a silo. By understanding the broader business process, auditors can connect control gaps to operational root causes.
From Accuracy to Insight
Precision remains critical, but impact comes from telling the story behind the data—using insights to influence action.
Consider this hypothetical example: a financial services firm identified recurring exceptions in its vendor payment process. By analyzing exception data over time, the internal audit team uncovered systemic approval delays tied to an outdated workflow. Their recommendation to automate approvals reduced both processing time and control risk—a perfect illustration of how curiosity drives improvement.
Where Data and Judgment Meet: The Human + Tech Equation
The rise of AI and automation doesn’t diminish the auditor’s value; it amplifies it.
Technology-enabled insight is transforming the function. Dashboards, data analytics and visualization tools allow auditors to test entire data populations, uncover anomalies faster and focus on high-impact risks. But the critical differentiator remains distinctly human: judgment, skepticism, ethical reasoning and the ability to interpret nuance where data alone can’t.
Our client engagements consistently prove that point:
Enhancing Internal Controls through an AP Audit
A transportation and logistics company asked us to assess its accounts payable controls. Through targeted audit analytics, we identified several control weaknesses and operational risks. Implementing our recommendations streamlined approvals, reduced errors and increased confidence in the financial close process. The client then engaged us for a similar audit of their AR function. [Read more]
Navigating Bankruptcy Emergence with Fresh-Start Accounting
Following a merger, a multinational chemical and refining company required assistance rebuilding SOX compliance and financial reporting across 242 entities. Our multidisciplinary team combined technical accounting expertise with system automation and control dashboards, ensuring both regulatory compliance and operational stability. [Read more]
In both cases, technology accelerated the process, but human insight guided the outcome.
Building Tomorrow’s Audit Talent: Redefining Resilience
The future of internal audit isn’t about replacing human expertise with technology; it’s about empowering that expertise with data and curiosity.
As automation and AI continue to transform business processes, successful auditors will need to blend technical fluency with strategic thinking, working across disciplines to interpret data, identify emerging risks and communicate insights that drive better decisions.
To thrive in this environment, emerging leaders should focus on four essential skill dimensions:
- Analytical Skills – Asking better questions, defining goals and organizing information for decision-making.
- Data Concepts – Understanding data relationships, architecture and integrity.
- Tool Training – Applying technology like Tableau or Power BI to visualize and analyze data.
- Storytelling – Translating insights into clear, compelling narratives for management and the board.
As Alec Elmore often emphasizes:
“Audit’s value doesn’t lie in automation or AI itself.
It lies in how we use those tools to ask better questions and see beyond the numbers.”
This mindset marks a defining moment for the profession. The auditors who integrate curiosity, data literacy and strategic communication will not only keep pace with change…they’ll shape it.
Tomorrow’s auditors won’t simply report on risk. They’ll redefine resilience.
About the Author
Janine Koch, CPA, is a seasoned executive and Principal in the GRC practice serving the Office of the CFO. She brings more than 25 years of experience delivering practical, high-impact solutions to multinational organizations, with a focus on internal audit, SOX and internal controls, compliance programs and enterprise risk.
To learn more, contact Janine at jkoch@solomonedwards.com.
