If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that there is a pressing need to build robust and effective compliance in organisations of every size and in every industry, as bad actors have exploited workforces that were no longer operating from behind the corporate perimeter.

Several technologies have shown tremendous potential when it comes to boosting cyber security and compliance. Among these are artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic process automation (RPA).

Using AI in security and compliance initiatives can help companies protect their most important information assets and ensure full compliance with regulations set by governments. AI can also be used to sift through huge amounts of internal and external data and generate predictive insights, helping businesses make more informed decisions.

In addition, by automating onerous and mundane tasks, organisations can lessen the compliance load and focus on tasks where human intervention is essential.

To unpack this further, Nevellan Moodley, head of IT risk assurance at BDO South Africa, will be presenting a keynote address on “Leveraging new technologies such as AI and RPA to build more robust and effective compliance”, at ITWeb Governance, Risk & Compliance 2022. This will be a hybrid event on 10 February, at the Maslow Hotel in Sandton, and online.

According to Moodley, amid regulatory change, evolving business models, and rising complexity, the focus of governance, risk and compliance activities needs to change from reactive to proactive and from siloed to integrated risk thinking.

“This is where leveraging AI and RPA in GRC applications is gaining interest and momentum globally,” he says.

GRC professionals, professional bodies and regulators are increasing their focus on the impact of new and emerging technologies to expand or shape compliance strategies and capabilities for operational efficiency, greater insights and further value-adding opportunities.

Delegates will learn about drivers for change to consider new and emerging tech in compliance applications, as well as the benefits of a tech-enabled compliance strategy. They will also hear about the attributes and outcomes of a modernised compliance programme using new and emerging tech, as well as risk and control considerations.