Workiva unveils AI-ready GRC platform for real-time audit

Workiva has launched an updated governance, risk and compliance (GRC) platform with new tools for audit, risk and controls, as companies face tighter regulatory expectations and greater scrutiny of AI governance.

The US-based software group presented the update at an Institute of Internal Auditors event in Las Vegas. It said compliance work is shifting from periodic reporting to ongoing assurance, with more frequent data requests from regulators, boards and investors.

Many organisations still run GRC work across separate systems, relying on spreadsheets and manual reconciliations between teams. Workiva said this slows work and increases the risk of errors when teams need to align information across finance, risk, audit and reporting.

Leaders are also placing more emphasis on data automation and governance. Workiva cited research suggesting nearly 80 per cent plan to prioritise these areas in 2026. It also pointed to 83 per cent of Australian business leaders making the same choice.

The update builds on Workiva's cloud platform, used by accounting, finance, sustainability, risk and audit teams. More than 6,600 organisations use Workiva, including over 85 per cent of Fortune 1,000 companies, the company said.

Platform approach

Workiva positions the update as a response to growing complexity in regulatory compliance and AI oversight. It said point solutions and siloed data have become a business risk, particularly when organisations need real-time visibility into controls and emerging threats.

The platform links data used in risk and control testing with data used in external reporting, creating a chain from source systems to disclosures. Workiva said connected workflows reduce manual reconciliation and validation of numbers and narrative disclosures across reports.

Workiva tied the update to the Institute of Internal Auditors' Global Internal Audit Standards, now being adopted across the profession. It said the platform is designed to help CFO organisations align internal audit work with those standards.

"Visionary CFOs are looking beyond incremental efficiency to a future where automation eliminates manual audit work entirely. Our customers are driving toward zero human-initiated tasks, expanding their capacity for real-time insights and proactive guidance," said Junko Swain, SVP and chief accounting officer at Workiva.

"Business leaders are navigating historic uncertainty as technology advancements and an endless stream of data expose the limits of standalone tools. Connecting finance, audit, and risk on a single intelligent platform is the foundation for a future where AI fundamentally transforms how assurance work gets done," Swain said.

New modules

The update includes changes to controls management, audit management and risk management. Workiva described these as connected components on the same platform as its financial, sustainability and regulatory reporting products.

In controls management, Workiva is adding dashboards that track control health and flag issues as data changes. It said the design supports faster escalation and clearer reporting on control status.

Audit management adds AI-driven workflows, pre-built frameworks and testing automation, Workiva said. It said internal audit teams can standardise programmes and spend less time on coordination and evidence collection.

Risk management is intended to provide a consolidated view of enterprise risks. Workiva said connected data and analytics can surface systemic and emerging threats and improve how findings are communicated to decision-makers.

Workiva named Braze, Patrick Industries and StoneX as customers using its platform as they restructure data and reporting processes around a connected model.

External views

The update comes as many compliance teams reassess how AI affects governance and assurance. Organisations face rising expectations around model risk, data quality and the use of automated decision systems.

"As AI adoption accelerates, compliance teams across the organisation are adapting their approaches to better anticipate risk and support informed decision-making for the CFO and the board - often requiring both the right skillsets and the right tools," said Bradley Niedzielski, audit and assurance partner and business controls advisory leader at Deloitte & Touche LLP.

Some executives also pointed to the data requirements behind AI-driven assurance and reporting. "If your organisation is all-in on AI and you're not all-in on data, you might have a problem," said Alexander Davis.

Workiva said demand for its approach reflects a broader shift in GRC from isolated compliance tasks to ongoing monitoring and transparency. It expects CFO, audit and risk teams to increase their use of automated controls testing and connected reporting as regulatory requirements and stakeholder scrutiny continue to rise.