Danielle Supkis Cheek, VP, Head of Analytics and AI at Caseware - AITech Interview

Danielle, you have an impressive background in both academia and professional services. Could you start by sharing your journey and what led you to your current role at Caseware as VP, Head of Analytics and AI?

My journey to my current AI and analytics role at Caseware hasn’t been typical, but it has given me the perfect balance of expertise to understand our customers, who are auditors and accountants looking to use technology to improve their daily workflows. At the beginning of my career, I followed my mother’s advice to take an accounting class in college. She insisted that understanding financial matters was crucial, no matter what career path I chose.

Once I entered the accounting world, I followed a fairly traditional career path. I also went on to earn a Master of Science in Accountancy from the University of Virginia. However, I found that while I can understand and work within traditional accounting frameworks, I also bring a different, non-linear approach to problem-solving, which ultimately led me to the world of software, analytics, and AI within the accounting industry.

My ability to bridge the gap between traditional accounting and innovative technologies has definitely positioned me well for my current leadership role at Caseware, and I am enjoying leveraging both my accounting expertise and my unconventional thinking to drive advancements in analytics and AI for our customers.

AI is transforming many industries, but why do you believe professional services, particularly audit and accounting, are uniquely positioned to benefit from AI advancements?

Our profession is highly regulated with an exceptionally high expectation for precision. This has historically made it difficult to adopt new technologies, as we can’t afford to ‘fail fast’ in auditing. The complex, judgment-intensive tasks we perform are not conducive to automation through previous technological innovations. As a result, the accounting profession has often been perceived as a technology laggard, not due to unwillingness, but because of the stringent requirements for reliability and accuracy in our work.

Generative AI represents a fundamental shift. Unlike previous technologies that focused primarily on automation, generative AI is designed to work alongside humans to enhance our capabilities rather than replace them. This aligns well with our existing processes, which already incorporate extensive human review and validation.

What are some common misconceptions about AI in the context of professional services, and how can these be addressed?

AI, like human professionals, isn’t perfect, and that’s why it’s essential to have a robust review process in place. The misconception that all AI is a ‘black box’ and therefore is categorically unusable is simply not true. Standards, including new International ethical guidelines, recognize the potential of AI and provide frameworks for responsible use. It’s not about avoiding AI entirely, but rather about ensuring proper oversight and validation to make the most of its capabilities to underpin the stability of markets in the best way we can.

To Know More, Read Full Interview @ https://ai-techpark.com/aitech-interview-with-danielle-supkis-cheek/

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