The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India recently said that Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) must inevitably prepare themselves for auditing AI-based governance systems and look for opportunities to adopt AI into their audit techniques.
About Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs):
- They are public oversight institutions which audit a government’s use of public funds.
- They are a critical link in a country’s accountability chain.
- By scrutinizing public financial management and reporting they provide assurance that resources are used as prescribed.
- Most SAIs derives their mandate from the constitution and/or legislation.
- SAIs undertakes financial audits of organizations’ accounting procedures and financial statements, and compliance audits reviewing the legality of transactions made by the audited body.
- They also conduct performance audits to scrutinize the efficiency, effectiveness or economy of government’s undertakings.
- The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India is India’s SAI.
INTOSAI – International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions:
- It is an autonomous, independent and non-political organization.
- It operates as an umbrella organization for the external government audit community.
- It has special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations.
- It works to promote auditing standards, good governance of SAIs, and SAI independence, among other work.
- Structure:
- The International Congresses of Supreme Audit Institutions (INCOSAI) is the supreme organ of INTOSAI and is composed of all the members. On a triennial basis, it holds regular meetings, which is chaired by the hosting SAI.
- The INTOSAI Governing Board meets annually to provide strategic leadership, stewardship, and continuity of INTOSAI activities between INCOSAI.
- The CAG of India is a member of the Governing Board of the INTOSAI.