KPMG expands technology assurance as IT risks reshape audit work

KPMG Clara, the firm’s global smart audit platform, is used on every KPMG audit worldwide. Technology assurance sits inside that broader audit model, where technology, data and automation are increasingly shaping how work gets done, how controls are tested and how people move up. The role is not just a niche add-on for people who like systems more than spreadsheets.

Why technology assurance matters now

The function is built around a simple problem: IT-related risk is rising and changing constantly. That pushes the work beyond classic financial-statement checking and into the systems that produce, store and move the data auditors rely on. In practice, technology assurance assesses, manages and remediates IT-related risks, with work that supports trust in information and IT systems.

Technology assurance can include financial statement IT audit, System and Organization Controls work, enterprise resource planning systems, real-time system assessment and third-party assurance.

How it differs from traditional audit

Traditional audit work still revolves around the financial statements, but technology assurance pulls you closer to the systems behind them. Instead of spending most of your time only on account balances, sample testing and supporting schedules, you are more likely to evaluate how controls are designed and operating inside platforms such as ERP systems, data flows and other IT environments.

That difference changes the daily rhythm of the job. A technology assurance team is more likely to spend time on control design, access management, system configuration and the way information moves across business applications. For auditors who already know the discipline of evidence, documentation and walkthroughs, the specialization adds a layer of technical fluency without leaving assurance behind.

At KPMG, comfort with systems, controls, automation and data is becoming as valuable as old-school accounting fluency.

The firmwide shift behind the role

KPMG’s audit teams sustain audit quality through standardization and automation enabled by fit-for-purpose technology, backed by a reimagined service delivery model and a robust system of quality control. The same theme shows up in the firm’s audit data and analytics work, meant to unlock business data and improve audit quality.

The centerpiece is KPMG Clara, the firm’s global smart audit platform. The platform is designed to analyze entire datasets and surface real-time insights, which is a significant shift from the older audit model built around smaller samples and slower feedback loops.

People who can work comfortably in data-rich, technology-enabled audits are more useful across engagements, not just on the one where they learned the tool. The same technology logic can show up in audit quality, control testing and advisory-style problem solving.

What AI changes inside the workflow

KPMG is also folding AI into this technology-enabled audit stack. AI features within KPMG Clara can help with risk assessment, substantive testing procedures and audit documentation. Those are core parts of how audit teams plan, execute and defend their work.

For staff, the practical effect is less manual repetition in some parts of the engagement and more emphasis on judgment, review and explanation. If AI can help shape risk assessment or draft documentation, the human value shifts toward checking whether the risk view is right, whether the evidence really supports the conclusion and whether the work stands up to review.

KPMG also ties technology assurance to AI trust more directly through its AI assurance services. As organizations accelerate adoption of artificial intelligence, trust, transparency and accountability have become more critical. The role of assurance professionals extends beyond legacy IT controls into emerging systems where the control environment is still being defined.

What this means for advancement inside KPMG

Technology assurance is not just about technical breadth; it is about being promotable in a firm that is reorganizing around technology-enabled delivery. People who can translate technology risk into audit language, and audit findings into business language, will be better placed for higher-responsibility roles. That translation skill matters in staffing, review work and client conversations, because it helps teams move from identifying a system issue to explaining its audit impact.

Technology assurance gives people repeated exposure to control environments, enterprise systems and real-time assessment, which can make them more credible on complex clients and more valuable in mixed teams. In a Big Four setting, that kind of fluency often matters when managers decide who gets the hardest jobs, the biggest clients and eventually the best shot at the partner track.