This week on The Audit Podcast, Rania Bijlani, Founder & CEO of RB Advisory & Consultancy, joins the show to discuss how internal audit leaders can prepare for the future of the profession, embrace AI without losing human judgment, and build stronger partnerships across the organization. Rania explains why auditors need to move beyond simply using AI tools and start thinking about how they can audit AI, govern its use, and become part of the strategic conversation around AI. She breaks down the three biggest risks she sees for auditors: failing to learn AI, using it only superficially, and becoming overly reliant on it. She also explains why discernment and judgment will become even more important as AI takes on more of the work. Rania also shares her approach to helping internal audit teams become AI-ready, emphasizing that training alone isn't enough. Teams need a strategy, an actionable plan, and implementation support to turn what they learn into meaningful change. The conversation then shifts to one of Rania's biggest areas of expertise: building trust, influence, and real partnerships within the organization. She breaks down the foundation of trust, why credibility and shared purpose matter, and how auditors can move beyond policing the business to becoming true partners. Finally, Rania shares the biggest lesson she's learned from hosting her own podcast, Impact Legacy with Rania: across industries and leadership roles, it is the human skills — authenticity, self-belief, strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and relationship-building — that truly make leaders stand out. Check out Rania's podcast - Impact Legacy with Rania 04:35 Will Auditors Survive AI? 07:02 The Three Biggest AI Risks for Auditors 08:00 Why Auditors Need Discernment, Not Just Judgment 09:24 Why Human Connection Still Matters 14:20 How Internal Audit Leaders Can Prepare for the Future 16:34 Why AI Training Alone Isn't Enough 18:04 How to Build Real Partnerships Within the Organization 19:38 The Foundation of Trust 21:16 Why Relationships Are Built Over Time 22:38 How Trust Builds Influence and Impact 24:12 Lessons From Hosting Impact Legacy 25:03 What Business Leaders Really Care About 26:06 Why Human Skills Make Leaders Stand Out 27:28 Rania's Advice for the Future of Internal Audit Be sure to connect with Rania Bijlani on LinkedIn and check out RB Advisory & Consultancy for more resources on internal audit, risk, governance, leadership, and AI readiness. Be sure to connect with Trent Russell on LinkedIn and check out Green Skies Analytics for more resources on audit analytics and AI. Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and check out the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel. This podcast is brought to you by Green Skies Analytics, the services firm that helps internal audit teams make analytics actually work. Whether your audit team needs help with an analytics or AI strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit analytics, visit Green Skies Analytics to learn more and schedule a call.
