Speaker: Dr. Sridhar Ramamoorti, University of Dayton
Topic: AI, Accounting, and Ethics
Description:
Artificial Intelligence is a topic that is on a fast track into the C-suite. And as the opportunities for adoption and innovation walk in the doors, so do the risks. We see daily that the benefits of applying new technology in business can be astounding, yet they can also lead to fear, loss, and occupational fraud (just think “deep fakes”). Businesses are seeing technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and biometrics as promising tools to prevent and detect fraud; however, the behavioral forensics angle is crucial: the psychological disruption they cause for employees can lead to fraudulent behavior. The use of AI creates a fundamental lack of accountability that is a huge problem because machine intelligence is not subject to rewards and punishment and hence, failures and fiascoes cannot be resolved through the court system.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Anticipated effects emerging technologies can have on organizations, job roles, oversight—keeping “the human-in-the-loop” is a non-negotiable arrangement
- People will utilize and oversee the application of new technologies, and people will remain the primary source of fraud (although AI can be taught to lie)
- Behavioral forensics angle—the importance of ethics and accountability, organizational culture, and best practices in mitigating fraud risks
- Updating the professional codes of ethics has become an urgent priority
CPE: 2 hours (pre-approved for ACFE Ethics/Ohio PSR)
CPE credits are based on a 50-minute hour. CPE is offered through the ACFE as well as the Accountancy Board of Ohio (sponsor number CPE.00467). Attendees must attend 100 minutes of the meeting and answer 6 polling questions during the meeting to validate attendance.
Learning Objectives: Understanding the ethical implications of AI and Machine Learning and enabling improved fraud detection and deterrence and through expansion of knowledge in relation to the session's topic.
Prerequisites: None
Speaker Bio:
Dr. Sridhar Ramamoorti, ACA, CPA/CITP/CFF/CGMA, CIA, CFE, CFSA, CGAP, CGFM, CRMA, CRP, CVA, MAFF
Currently an associate professor of accounting at the University of Dayton, Dr. Ramamoorti holds a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. He is also the CEO and Managing Partner of the Behavioral Forensics Group (B4G) LLC, a fraud risk advisory and governance consulting firm that delves into the psychology of fraud and uses behavioral science insights for fraud prevention, deterrence, detection, and remediation.
Dr. Ramamoorti's research interests span corporate governance, risk management, external and internal auditing, ethics, and forensic accounting. At the University of Dayton, he teaches undergraduate courses on financial and managerial accounting, and graduate courses on forensic accounting, ethics, governance, and accountability.
Dr. Ramamoorti has a unique, blended academic-practitioner background with over 35 years of academic and professional experience. He was previously on the accounting faculties of the University of Illinois and Kennesaw State University. Earlier, he was affiliated with the Professional Standards Group of Andersen Worldwide and served as National Sarbanes Oxley Advisor for EY. Subsequently, he became a corporate governance partner in Grant Thornton's National Office, and was a principal at Infogix, Inc., leading the governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) professional services division. He originated the 2020 COSO project on blockchain and internal control covered by The Wall Street Journal, and was the lead author on A.B.C.'s of Behavioral Forensics, a prize-winning book that has been presented to the FBI Academy.
Published widely, Dr. Ramamoorti's research papers and professional articles have appeared in leading academic journals as well as The CPA Journal, Strategic Finance, Fraud Magazine and Internal Auditor. He has been a coauthor of 16 books and monographs including The Audit Committee Handbook, and with many translated into French, Spanish, and Japanese. Over the years, he has held several volunteer leadership and Board positions at professional organizations such as AAA, ACFE, AGA, FEI, IIA, and NACVA, was a member of the Standing Advisory Group of the PCAOB, has been a speaker in 16 countries.
