Revolutionizing Risk & Audits with AI: A Conversation with CA Anand Prakash Jangid

Revolutionizing risk and audits with AI: A conversation with CA Anand Prakash Jangid

In a field often stereotyped as traditional and rigid, CA Anand Prakash Jangid stands out as a forward-thinker who’s bringing technology to the heart of finance. With expertise spanning risk analysis, AI, and machine learning, Jangid has redefined how businesses approach audits and decision-making.

From his early days at Aditya Birla Group and Goldman Sachs to leading transformative projects at Infosys and launching the innovative AJ Labs, Jangid exemplifies what’s possible when technology meets business acumen.

This article will uncover Jangid’s fascinating journey, his thoughts on AI in finance, and how future-ready CAs can embrace technology to solve real-world problems.

Choosing a career in chartered accountancy

For Jangid, the decision to pursue a CA career wasn’t a childhood dream but a matter of practicality. Coming from a middle-class background in a small town, he wanted a career that could guarantee security and growth. Interestingly, Jangid had originally planned to study CWA (Cost and Work Accountancy). However, a suggestion from his cousin led him to attempt the CA foundation course just to test the waters. Clearing the course on his first try, he embraced the challenge head-on, discovering that this path offered an unmatched return on investment.

But, as he reflected, it wasn’t an easy journey. “At 16 or 18, all you think about are career prospects. Becoming a CA looked great at that age, and it gave me opportunities I never imagined,” Jangid said.

How a student conference sparked a love for technology

The turning point for Jangid came during a student conference held in Chennai around the year 2000. A fellow student presented a paper on risk management and information systems—a concept that was ahead of its time. The presentation piqued Jangid’s curiosity about technology’s role in finance.

Back in the early 2000s, internet access was a luxury for many, yet Jangid scrapped together resources to explore these new ideas. His enthusiasm for technology only grew stronger during his articleship at a small- to medium-sized firm, where he encountered various disciplines.

This willingness to learn led Jangid to pursue a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) certification after qualifying as a CA. “When you combine finance with technology, you stop just seeing numbers—you see systems—and that’s really exciting,” he shared.

Key lessons from working at industry titans

Aditya Birla Group: Building a foundation in auditing

Jangid’s stint at Aditya Birla Group gave him foundational experience in corporate auditing. “It wasn’t just about compliance; it was about adding value to management through independent assurance,” Jangid said.

With his CISA certification, Jangid began noticing how fundamental information systems were to financial accuracy. That’s where his passion for integrating technology with numbers took root.

Goldman Sachs: A global perspective in risk

Then came a major career leap: joining Goldman Sachs. Here, Jangid stepped into the fast-paced world of global finance. “Working with incredibly smart people changed my perspective," he beagn. “Practices like e-discovery and digital forensics blew my mind.”

Goldman Sachs taught him how different cultures work, the need for adaptability, and the importance of precision at scale. “When you work globally, you see opportunities and methods you’d never think of otherwise,” Jangid said.

Infosys and the entrepreneurial spark

Returning to India, Jangid took up a role at Infosys, working on enterprise risk management solutions. What stood out to him was Infosys’s focus on empowering young professionals. The open culture allowed him to experiment and innovate while managing large-scale consulting projects.

“Infosys was the place where I started thinking about building something of my own,” he admitted. But the real catalyst came from a personal health scare at 36. “A small heart attack became a hard reset for me. It made me think about leaving behind the corporate race to focus on something meaningful.”

Founding AJ Labs: A lab for experimentation

In 2017, Jangid co-founded AJ Labs, a boutique firm focused on using transformative technologies in finance and audits. The team’s motto was simple: “If data is the new oil, we aim to be the refinery.”

AJ Labs specializes in leveraging AI, machine learning, process mining, and automation to transform manual, time-intensive tasks into seamless, near real-time experiences. Jangid and his team believe in an “experiment-first” mindset. By allowing room for failure, they discovered groundbreaking tools and processes.

“Not everything works, and that’s fine,” Jangid began. “We keep nine or ten of our failed products in a sort of ‘graveyard’ to remember the lessons they taught us. But the ones that work—those bring value our clients couldn’t imagine before.”

One of their key innovations is autonomous control monitoring, an AI-powered tool that detects anomalies in transaction data almost instantly. This proactive approach moves auditing from reactive post-mortems to preventative risk management. By providing stakeholders with actionable alerts, AJ Labs is effectively reshaping audit practices.

Advice for CAs wading into tech

Jangid offers simple yet impactful advice: “Get your hands dirty.”

Too often, CAs cling to familiarity, sticking to routine accounting practices. But as Jangid highlighted, the real magic happens when CAs embrace technology like machine learning, automation, or even tools like Zoho CRM.

“CAs have a secret superpower—knowledge of business processes. If we combine that with technology, there’s no limit to what we can achieve,” he said.

To those intimidated by emerging tech like AI or process mining, Jangid recommends starting small. “Don’t overthink; test tools, automate what’s boring, and upskill yourself as much as possible,” he suggested.

The future of AI in audits and risk management

Jangid predicts that AI will continue streamlining repetitive processes in accounting, freeing professionals to focus on strategy and decision-making. Whether it’s anomaly detection, financial forecasting, or autonomous reconciliation, these tools are no longer futuristic—they’re available today.

However, while tools are important, mindset matters more. “Using tech is not about replacing jobs; it’s about removing inefficiencies so we can do the work that actually matters,” Jangid explained.

Closing thoughts

Anand Prakash Jangid’s story is a perfect example of what happens when you combine curiosity with determination. From a small-town boy chasing financial liberation and security to a tech evangelist redefining audits, he proves the power of adapting to change.

His journey inspires everyone to think beyond the balance sheet and imagine a future where technology doesn’t just assist but transforms how we work.

If you’ve ever wondered how technology can reshape your own field, take a page from Jangid’s book—be curious, be bold, and start experimenting today.