No Result
View All Result
SUBSCRIBE | NO FEES, NO PAYWALLS
MANAGE MY SUBSCRIPTION
NEWSLETTER
Corporate Compliance Insights
  • Home
  • About
    • About CCI
    • CCI Magazine
    • Writing for CCI
    • Career Connection
    • NEW: CCI Press – Book Publishing
    • Advertise With Us
  • Explore Topics
    • See All Articles
    • Compliance
    • Ethics
    • Risk
    • FCPA
    • Governance
    • Fraud
    • Internal Audit
    • HR Compliance
    • Cybersecurity
    • Data Privacy
    • Financial Services
    • Well-Being at Work
    • Leadership and Career
    • Opinion
  • Vendor News
  • Library
    • Download Whitepapers & Reports
    • Download eBooks
    • New: Living Your Best Compliance Life by Mary Shirley
    • New: Ethics and Compliance for Humans by Adam Balfour
    • 2021: Raise Your Game, Not Your Voice by Lentini-Walker & Tschida
    • CCI Press & Compliance Bookshelf
  • Podcasts
    • Great Women in Compliance
    • Unless: The Podcast (Hemma Lomax)
  • Research
  • Webinars
    • Upcoming
  • Events
  • Subscribe
Jump to a Section
  • At the Office
    • Ethics
    • HR Compliance
    • Leadership & Career
    • Well-Being at Work
  • Compliance & Risk
    • Compliance
    • FCPA
    • Fraud
    • Risk
  • Finserv & Audit
    • Financial Services
    • Internal Audit
  • Governance
    • ESG
    • Getting Governance Right
  • Infosec
    • Cybersecurity
    • Data Privacy
  • Opinion
    • Adam Balfour
    • Jim DeLoach
    • Mary Shirley
    • Yan Tougas
No Result
View All Result
Corporate Compliance Insights
Home Featured

Proceed with Caution When Using Artificial Intelligence

by Diane Robinette
October 19, 2018
in Featured, Risk
closeup of excel spreadsheet

Challenges with Insights in Excel

Artificial intelligence can be a very good thing, but organizations must not jump in blindly. Incisive CEO Diane Robinette discusses potential risks associated with the new artificial intelligence capabilities in Excel.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a hot topic. It’s the shiny new thing that people can’t seem to get enough of. While still in its infancy, early adopters are beginning to realize the benefits of AI and machine learning, and the initial results are impressive. Utility companies are using AI to forecast electricity demand. Retailers are using AI to improve inventory management. AI-powered chat bots are also changing how businesses communicate with customers.

While there are some very real benefits, and successes are already being realized, it’s important to note that AI can’t be used blindly. This is especially true when using AI and machine learning to analyze large volumes of data to identify trends and insights for key business decisions. In the rush to deploy AI solutions, some organizations (especially compliance-driven organizations) may unknowingly set themselves up for exposure to risk. Consider, for example, the addition of AI capabilities to Microsoft Office 365.

Microsoft has been steadily rolling out new Office 365 AI capabilities; most notably, Insights in Excel, which automatically detects and highlights patterns. It analyzes large, complex data within Excel and does so significantly faster than a single human being could. And because it is powered by machine learning, Insights in Excel will provide increasingly advanced analysis as usage of the feature grows over time. While this is exciting news, there are transparency issues Excel users must be aware of, particularly when building models using AI.

Navigating the Black Box

When working in Excel, it’s important that expectations are properly set, as the risk exposure synonymous with Excel remains. Now, however, there is an added risk when relying on Microsoft’s models and assumptions (and the assumption that spreadsheets are accurate). Yet the average users will likely click on the Insights button and be thrilled with the new AI-powered charts Excel is providing them without understanding the possible implications. An equally alarming issue, especially for compliance-driven organizations, is the lack of transparency.

Building a model using AI is similar to using black box: There is no transparency. Users know what goes in and what comes out, but what goes on with the numbers once inside the black box remains a mystery. Because there is no transparency, it is difficult — often impossible — for users to demonstrate to an examiner, for example, how a model was built and whether or not it is sound. The whole idea behind AI and machine learning is that it constantly changes based on its findings. However, for highly regulated industries such as banking and insurance, this can quickly turn into a compliance nightmare when an organization is unable to validate their models or explain how they were built to regulators.

Start with the Basics

While it’s easy to envision the advantages that can be gained using AI, users must proceed with caution. While all black box transparency issues can’t be solved, there are some steps users can take to minimize potential issues. This includes putting controls in place to ensure that the data from which users base their analysis is accurate and complete. The use of spreadsheet management technology will become increasingly critical to ensure the accuracy of Excel data AI is leveraging. These solutions fill a very real void by providing insight into potential risk and errors that may be hiding in spreadsheets.

There are also key questions that must be asked: Does your spreadsheet policy need to be updated to account for the new AI features within Excel? Are there any additional controls that need to be put in place? What will the regulators require from your organization/the user?

It’s important that early adopters and newcomers alike realize that taking precautions ahead of time to minimize risks is essential to reaping the true benefits of AI. Ensuring the spreadsheets users are working with are accurate and error-free is a great first step.


Tags: Artificial Intelligence (AI)Data AnalyticsMachine Learning
Previous Post

The Importance of a High-Risk Due Diligence Committee

Next Post

Advance Preparation for an OCR HIPAA Audit

Diane Robinette

Diane Robinette

June 15 - Diane Robinette headshotDiane Robinette is president and CEO of Incisive Software, a provider of innovative risk intelligence spreadsheet management solutions. She has more than 20 years of experience in strategic planning, marketing, product management, business operations and management. Diane has worked in companies from startups to large enterprises in various industries including high-tech, aerospace and defense, telecommunications, financial services and transportation.

Related Posts

robot waiting for job interview

If AI Can Easily Game Hiring Processes, Maybe It’s Time to Rethink What You’re Looking For

by Vera Cherepanova
July 15, 2025

Using AI to prepare for an interview is OK, but what about using it to perform?

nurse holding chart

Data Privacy at the Crossroads of AI & Life Sciences: US & EU Perspectives

by Marijn Storm, Katherine Wang and Joshua Fattal
July 15, 2025

Regulators and enforcers are watching how healthcare companies use advanced tools

photo collage text messages

Can AI Streamline E-Communications Compliance Program Reviews?

by Jonny Frank, Nathan Gibson, Michael Costa and Kashif Sheikh
July 14, 2025

Where manual reviews take weeks, AI can rapidly compare policy documentation to assessment criteria and flag control gaps

news roundup data grungy

Most Organizations Adopting AI Without Strategy as Risks Mount

by Staff and Wire Reports
July 11, 2025

Leading firms leverage AI across governance functions; privacy deletion requests surge 82%; employees struggle with AI-powered threats; payment system attacks...

Next Post
doctor holding stethoscope

Advance Preparation for an OCR HIPAA Audit

No Result
View All Result

Privacy Policy | AI Policy

Founded in 2010, CCI is the web’s premier global independent news source for compliance, ethics, risk and information security. 

Got a news tip? Get in touch. Want a weekly round-up in your inbox? Sign up for free. No subscription fees, no paywalls. 

Follow Us

Browse Topics:

  • CCI Press
  • Compliance
  • Compliance Podcasts
  • Cybersecurity
  • Data Privacy
  • eBooks Published by CCI
  • Ethics
  • FCPA
  • Featured
  • Financial Services
  • Fraud
  • Governance
  • GRC Vendor News
  • HR Compliance
  • Internal Audit
  • Leadership and Career
  • On Demand Webinars
  • Opinion
  • Research
  • Resource Library
  • Risk
  • Uncategorized
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Well-Being
  • Whitepapers

© 2025 Corporate Compliance Insights

Welcome to CCI. This site uses cookies. Please click OK to accept. Privacy Policy
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
    • About CCI
    • CCI Magazine
    • Writing for CCI
    • Career Connection
    • NEW: CCI Press – Book Publishing
    • Advertise With Us
  • Explore Topics
    • See All Articles
    • Compliance
    • Ethics
    • Risk
    • FCPA
    • Governance
    • Fraud
    • Internal Audit
    • HR Compliance
    • Cybersecurity
    • Data Privacy
    • Financial Services
    • Well-Being at Work
    • Leadership and Career
    • Opinion
  • Vendor News
  • Library
    • Download Whitepapers & Reports
    • Download eBooks
    • New: Living Your Best Compliance Life by Mary Shirley
    • New: Ethics and Compliance for Humans by Adam Balfour
    • 2021: Raise Your Game, Not Your Voice by Lentini-Walker & Tschida
    • CCI Press & Compliance Bookshelf
  • Podcasts
    • Great Women in Compliance
    • Unless: The Podcast (Hemma Lomax)
  • Research
  • Webinars
    • Upcoming
  • Events
  • Subscribe

© 2025 Corporate Compliance Insights