Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545285
7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 7 JUNE 2026 COMMERCIAL EY Malta has announced the rollout of enterprise scale agen- tic artificial intelligence (AI) within its Assurance services, strengthening audit quality and enhancing the experience for local businesses as part of EY's global "All in" strategy. The new technology is em- bedded directly into EY Can- vas, EY's global audit platform used by audit teams in Malta and around the world. Built on Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Foundry and Microsoft Fabric, the AI enabled framework sup- ports auditors in analysing large volumes of data, dynamically addressing risk and accessing continuously updated auditing and accounting guidance in real time. For organisations operating in Malta, this transformation translates into more focused, risk based audits, reduced ad- ministrative burden and deeper insights, while maintaining the essential role of professional judgement, scepticism and hu- man oversight. The rollout follows extensive global testing and piloting and marks a key milestone in EY's multibillion dollar investment in audit quality, technology and people. AI capabilities are now embedded across all phases of the audit, with further enhance- ments expected to support end to end audit activities by 2028. Shawn Falzon, Assurance Leader and Partner at EY Malta, said: "This investment represents a meaningful step forward for our clients in Malta. By embedding advanced AI directly into our audit platform, we are able to fo- cus more sharply on risk, qual- ity and insight, while reducing disruption and administrative effort for clients. Crucially, this technology strengthens, rath- er than replaces professional judgement, supporting greater confidence and trust in the au- dit process." The enhanced audit meth- odology comes at a time when Maltese organisations are in- creasingly navigating complex regulatory environments, dig- ital transformation initiatives and the growing use of AI in business operations. EY's up- dated approach enhances the depth, relevance and confi- dence of audits in this evolving landscape. Beyond statutory audits, the same frameworks underpin a broader suite of assurance and advisory services available lo- cally, including AI readiness assessments, governance, risk management and controls. These services support organ- isations as they adopt AI re- sponsibly, manage emerging risks and deliver measurable outcomes. During The MIA Conference – "From oversight to innovation: Driving Quality and Integrity in Accountancy", Shawn Falzon participated in a panel discus- sion titled "How is Digitalisa- tion (including AI) Reshaping Assurance and Quality Assur- ance?". Representing EY and in his capacity as Deputy Chair- person of the MIA Audit and Assurance Group, he shared in- sights on how these changes are being brought to life in practice, introducing EY's Future of Au- dit. Now. approach. As he noted during the dis- cussion, "The transformation is really about doing the right work, at the right time, with the right support, so our teams can spend less time on administra- tive tasks and more on address- ing risk and strengthening audit quality." The deployment is supported by EY's long standing alliance with Microsoft, whose cloud and AI technologies are deeply integrated into the EY technol- ogy platform. All new capabil- ities have been developed and deployed in line with EY's re- sponsible AI principles. EY is also continuing to invest in its people in Malta through a global training programme de- signed to upskill audit and tech- nology risk professionals. The programme combines structured and immersive learning and will be continu- ously updated to reflect chang- es in regulation, technology and audit standards. EY Malta rolls out enterprise scale AI in audit services A group of BOV employees volunteer at Id-Dar tal-Providenza A group of employees from Bank of Valletta spent a day volunteer- ing at id-Dar tal-Providenza in Siġġiewi, lending their support across a range of activities, in- cluding cleaning, kitchen duties, washing the Home's vehicles, and carrying out general maintenance work. The Bank has long been a proud supporter of this organisation through a number of initiatives, most notably the annual BOV Volleyball Marathon, which this year will be held between the 16th and 18th July and, for the first time, at the MFCC in Ta' Qali. This volunteering activity at id- Dar tal-Providenza forms part of the Bank's ongoing commit- ment to the community through a structured volunteering pro- gramme that has seen strong em- ployee participation during the first months of 2026. Around 100 employees from different units within the Bank dedicated their time to support nine NGOs work- ing in the social and environmen- tal sectors. Between February and April, the NGOs supported were Embrace, Inspire, Voice of Inclu- sion Gozo, Dar Papa Franġisku, Caritas Malta, Conservatorio Vin- cenzo Bugeja, MSPCA, Din l-Art Ħelwa, and Grow 10 Trees. The Bank offers its people one day of volunteering leave, in ad- dition to their standard leave en- titlement. Launched in 2024, this initiative forms part of the Bank's ongoing commitment to Cor- porate Social Responsibility and highlights the strong link between teamwork and a positive impact on society. Ernest Agius, BOV Chief Oper- ations Officer, stated, "Volunteer- ing activities, such as this one at id-Dar tal-Providenza, continue to be an important pillar for Bank of Valletta, as they strengthen our engagement with the community we serve. The strong participation of employees since the launch of the volunteering initiative in 2024 reflects both management's and our employees' genuine commit- ment to give back and make a pos- itive impact on society." Ray Debattista, BOV Chief Peo- ple & Culture Officer, highlighted the bond that these volunteer- ing initiatives create among em- ployees outside their working environment. "They reflect the Bank's commitment to employee well-being, given the positive im- pact that such experiences have on our staff's personal develop- ment and overall engagement," he said. The NGOs involved welcomed the employees' support and ex- pressed appreciation for the time, energy, and enthusiasm dedicated to their respective causes.