That was the central message from a recent AWANI Pagi segment titled “Kemahiran AI Bekal Auditor Masa Depan”, featuring Dr. Suhaily Shahimi, Senior Lecturer from the Department of Accounting, Faculty of Business and Economics, Universiti Malaya (UM), and accounting student Ammar Hamdi Yasir.
▶️ View the embedded YouTube interview:
🔗 https://www.astroawani.com/video/awani-pagi-kemahiran-ai-bekal-auditor-masa-depan
A key highlight of the discussion was the use of Alteryx, an analytics automation platform that enables auditors to prepare, blend, and analyse large datasets efficiently without heavy coding. The tool was presented as a practical example of how AI-enabled analytics can enhance auditing workflows and modernise professional practice.
The discussion also resonated with the Prime Minister’s call (saranan Perdana Menteri) for Malaysia to accelerate AI adoption and strengthen digital capabilities across industries. Enhancing AI competency is not merely an academic agenda, it is aligned with national transformation priorities and long-term competitiveness.
🔎 3 Key Insights
1️⃣ Auditing is shifting from manual verification to AI-powered analytics.
With platforms like Alteryx, auditors can automate data preparation, conduct anomaly detection, and perform risk-based analytics at scale, enabling more comprehensive and continuous oversight.
2️⃣ AI literacy is becoming a core professional competency.
Future auditors must combine accounting expertise with analytics automation skills and structured data engineering awareness.
3️⃣ Technology augments professional judgment.
While AI accelerates insight generation and improves precision, ethical reasoning, governance accountability, and professional scepticism remain human-led.
Dr. Suhaily emphasised that integrating AI tools into accounting education ensures graduates are better prepared for industry realities. From the student perspective, hands-on exposure to platforms like Alteryx enhances adaptability and employability in a data-driven workforce.
💡 Bold Leadership Takeaway
Embedding AI-enabled analytics into audit and finance functions is no longer optional, it is a strategic imperative.
The real question is:
Are organisations equipping their auditors with AI-enabled tools like Alteryx, or expecting them to compete in a digital economy with manual processes?
Read about the ORTECH Academy leads High-Impact Internal Audit Data Analytics Workshop at Universiti Malaya: https://ortech.com.my/moments/ortech-academy-leads-high-impact-internal-audit-data-analytics-workshop-at-universiti-malaya/
Ts. Ahmad Hadzramin Abdul Rahman
CEO, ORTECH
Ts. Ahmad Hadzramin Abdul Rahman is the CEO of ORTECH, Malaysia’s Analytics Engineering Company. He advises BFSI organizations, public sector institutions and enterprises on building AI-ready data foundations, governed analytics pipelines, and modern lakehouse architectures that enhance decision velocity, strengthen risk control, and improve operational efficiency across the organization.
