Sunday, February 28, 2021
Germany Latest News
  • Sports
  • USA
  • Asia
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • Tech
  • Science
  • Latin America
  • Africa
  • Europe
No Result
View All Result
Germany Latest News
Home Tech

How do you audit a robot?

admin by admin
October 23, 2017
in Tech
0
0
SHARES
2
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

When we talk about “robots”, people might think of humanoid C3PO-like figures.

But the robots taking over many aspects of modern workplaces are better explained as robotic process automation (RPA) – software that can be programmed to do basic, repetitive tasks.

Related posts

Google halts Play Store ‘review bombing’ by GameStop traders

Google halts Play Store ‘review bombing’ by GameStop traders

January 31, 2021
WhatsApp extends ‘confusing’ update deadline

WhatsApp extends ‘confusing’ update deadline

January 16, 2021

This has been part of many organisations for decades, but increasing levels of adoption, combined with the development of artificial intelligence, mean it is now one a key issue for many businesses to consider.

Read more: Jeremy Corbyn wants Uber to be replaced with a co-operative

One aspect has hitherto been neglected: how do you audit robots?

The benefits of automation are fairly evident. It can reduce cost, help eliminate errors, and increase profitability. As wasteful manual processes are replaced by automated ones, margins can increase.

Robots can execute processes that otherwise consume thousands of staff hours – freeing up skilled employees to work on more complex, added-value tasks – but are also scalable, meaning it is easier to cope with increased demand. For example robots can be deployed 24/7 if necessary.

Moreover, automation offers a secure alternative to outsourcing or offshoring, as it does not create potential supply chain problems, and is more easily subject to internal controls.

But there are inherent risks to increasing automation, and auditors need to develop ways to provide assurance that they are being managed to an appropriate level.

One issue is how many robots an organisation can realistically manage. Multiple departments creating and maintaining their own robots, with varying standards of risk and control, could mean a fragmented – and potentially vulnerable – business, and IT departments cannot be responsible for them all.

Strong internal governance frameworks, perhaps with centralised oversight, would be key to ensuring this does not become a business risk.

Another is how to decide which processes are suitable for automation. Internal auditors need to consider areas where levels of subjectivity, complexity or variability mean it is better to have people in charge.

Even the best artificial intelligence cannot yet “think” like humans, mixing instinct and intuition with logic. They can’t make “common sense” checks, and do not assess irregularities or anomalies in the same way. Nor can they spot where something operationally useful might be socially or ethically disastrous.

Finally, there is the issue of what happens when things go wrong.

Robots strictly adhere to the “garbage in, garbage out” principle. They operate as instructed, but if the information input is flawed robots can behave in surprising and unwelcome ways. This is amplified if there are not enough humans to operate processes manually when they go down.

Automation acts as a form of leverage, enabling one person to oversee what would otherwise be the work of several, but if things go wrong this can quickly become a business continuity issue. And afterwards, robots – unlike humans – cannot be interviewed retrospectively as to why they did what they did.

All of this means it is it vital to have data governance and technical controls to ensure data integrity and security, and also that there is a “kill switch”, regularly tested, to immediately halt things in the event of a problem.

Underlying all of this is how auditors can see how the robot is operating – in particular if it is learning. Data analysis, modelling and IT technical skills are becoming crucial for auditors to do this effectively. As RPA is increasingly implemented auditing around the computer is becoming less and less viable.

Advances in robotics can drive businesses and boost productivity – a key worry for UK plc at the moment – but also raise challenges for auditors. RPA is in use right now. If auditors are to remain relevant they have work to do to keep up.

Read more: AI can liberate humans to lead happier lives, if we get it right

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Original Article

Previous Post

Wiggins’ halfcourt heave rattles in to top Thunder

Next Post

We’re switching on the superfast Square Mile

Next Post
We’re switching on the superfast Square Mile

We’re switching on the superfast Square Mile

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RECOMMENDED NEWS

Latin American Marketers Put AI to Work, Freeing up Talent for Creative

Latin American Marketers Put AI to Work, Freeing up Talent for Creative

2 years ago
Italys governing parties struggle to find path forward on vaccines

Italys governing parties struggle to find path forward on vaccines

2 years ago

Can the world’s mightiest naval fleet survive the perfect storm?

3 years ago
Invasive asexual midges may upset Antarcticas delicate moss banks

Invasive asexual midges may upset Antarcticas delicate moss banks

2 years ago

FOLLOW US

  • 81 Followers
  • 106k Subscribers

BROWSE BY CATEGORIES

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Health
  • latest news
  • Latin America
  • Life Style
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • USA

BROWSE BY TOPICS

2018 League Balinese Culture Bali United Budget Travel Champions League Chopper Bike Doctor Terawan Istana Negara Market Stories National Exam Pope Francis may mediate Gulf Crisis Solution Visit Bali
No Result
View All Result

Recent Posts

  • Google halts Play Store ‘review bombing’ by GameStop traders
  • Germany bans entry from the UK, Ireland, Brazil, Portugal and South Africa over COVID-19 variants
  • Biden warns of growing cost of delay on economic coronavirus aid plan
  • Nasa’s Perseverance rover is bearing down on Mars
  • India protests: Internet cut to hunger-striking farmers in Delhi

Categories

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Health
  • latest news
  • Latin America
  • Life Style
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • USA

Tags

2018 League Balinese Culture Bali United Budget Travel Champions League Chopper Bike Doctor Terawan Istana Negara Market Stories National Exam Pope Francis may mediate Gulf Crisis Solution Visit Bali
German Constitutional Court upholds ban on anti-lockdown protest
latest news

German Constitutional Court upholds ban on anti-lockdown protest

by admin
December 6, 2020
0

An anti-lockdown group had filed an urgent court appeal hoping to allow 20,000 people to gather in Bremen. Despite the...

Read more

Recent News

  • Google halts Play Store ‘review bombing’ by GameStop traders
  • Germany bans entry from the UK, Ireland, Brazil, Portugal and South Africa over COVID-19 variants
  • Biden warns of growing cost of delay on economic coronavirus aid plan

Category

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Health
  • latest news
  • Latin America
  • Life Style
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • USA

Recent News

Google halts Play Store ‘review bombing’ by GameStop traders

Google halts Play Store ‘review bombing’ by GameStop traders

January 31, 2021
Germany bans entry from the UK, Ireland, Brazil, Portugal and South Africa over COVID-19 variants

Germany bans entry from the UK, Ireland, Brazil, Portugal and South Africa over COVID-19 variants

January 31, 2021
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact

© 2021 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Sports

© 2021 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.