According to Accounting Today, internal audit teams are increasingly turning their attention to AI and other rapidly evolving risks, even as organizations continue to face gaps in governance and audit coverage, according to a new survey from the Institute of Internal Auditors.

Based on responses from more than 3,000 audit leaders globally, the survey found that 58% ranked digital disruption and AI among their top five organizational risks, while 42% identified the area as a top-five audit priority. Only 23% of respondents described governance of digital disruption as managed or optimized, and just 11% considered internal audit coverage fully adequate.

Cybersecurity remained the leading global risk, cited by 80% of respondents, an increase of seven percentage points from last year. Geopolitical uncertainty also rose substantially, with 48% of respondents ranking it among their leading risks.

The findings suggest internal auditors are confronting risks that increasingly overlap rather than remain confined to individual areas. AI, for example, can introduce or amplify concerns involving cybersecurity, compliance, fraud, talent, third parties, and reputation.

“I think we all need to be focusing a lot of time on AI,” said IIA Global Board Chair Stacy Schabel. She emphasized that organizations must consider both the controls surrounding AI adoption and “the risk that you’re not using AI and you’re going to fall behind.”

The IIA said chief audit executives should respond by developing more dynamic audit plans and assessing emerging risks alongside the maturity of their organizations’ governance and controls.