Supreme Audit Institutions: Safeguarding Public Accountability in the AI Era

Girish Chandra Murmu, the CAG of India, emphasizes the critical role Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) play in ensuring public accountability as governments increasingly adopt AI and emerging technologies. Addressing the 16th ASOSAI Assembly, he highlighted the need for SAIs to address privacy breaches, algorithmic biases, and social exclusion while auditing climate change strategies and pandemic spending.

Girish Chandra Murmu, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, has called on public audit bodies to address mounting risks associated with privacy breaches, algorithmic biases, and social exclusion as governments move towards adopting artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies for service delivery.

Speaking at the 16th Assembly of the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI), Murmu stressed that Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) bear the responsibility of ensuring these technological advancements serve all citizens fairly and inclusively. 'The impact of climate change, expected to lead to trillions in economic losses, necessitates urgent SAI-led audits of adaptation and mitigation strategies,' he emphasized.

The CAG also underscored that SAIs are crucial in safeguarding public funds, especially during unprecedented crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting their role in preserving integrity and accountability. He called for increased knowledge-sharing among SAIs to implement best practices and leverage technology for optimal audit effectiveness. ASOSAI, which began with 11 members in 1979, now comprises 48 members, including India, and has evolved into a platform for knowledge exchange and capacity development in public sector auditing.

(With inputs from agencies.)