Futurology of auditing from the information technology, regulatory, structural and procedural changes perspectives

Technological developments have faced the audit profession with the challenge of the obsolescence of old and traditional methods. Traditional auditing methods are not suitable for auditing today's large and complex organizations. Therefore, the use of information technology and new information tools to provide timely and accurate information about the financial flows of auditing institutions seems vital. In the world today, experts believe that planning and foresight are an inevitable necessity, which requires futurology. This study examines changes in auditing practices expected by Iran auditing professionals within the next ten to twenty years. In this research, mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative methods) are used and university and auditing professionals' opinions collected through open questionnaires, interviews, and Delphi in the first half of 2022. The Delphi analysis in two rounds indicate the acceptance of 24 drivers in the field of changing regulations, structure, and audit procedures. The results show that the audit needs to be changed and updated in the fields of information technology, laws and standards, audit structure, and procedures. In addition, the emergence and acceptance of new business models will require the auditor to be familiar with these models, and despite the difficulties that new technologies create, it will help improve the performance of auditors and is not expected to have detrimental effects on the auditing profession