This is a review work in the area of application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Accounting and Auditing. A semi-systematic or narrative review approach was employed in analyzing relevant published books and journals. Faced with the challenges of disruptive technologies brought forth by the Industry 4.0, the accounting and auditing discipline is required to undergo a metamorphosis in order to reach the next level. Interdisciplinary collaboration is a must with regard to the research conducted in the area of AI in accounting and auditing. Wider application of AI in accounting and auditing profession is expected to provide the benefits of greater efficiency, productivity and accuracy whereas burden with the challenges of income and wealth inequality, extinction of traditional jobs and unskilled workforce. Preparation is needed on the part of educators, regulators and professional bodies by addressing the paradigm shift and preparing the students, policies and future professionals for the challenges of the world that is fraught with big data, blockchain technology, artificial intelligence and so on, ushering the fourth industrial revolution. Academia has to reconceptualize the accounting curriculum. Regulators must bring change in the form of formulating revolutionary policies. Also, professional bodies must redesign professional development and training process. Professional hybrids are expected to emerge and lead the profession in the near future. AI development and implementation in the accounting and auditing profession can be viewed as a double-edged sword. What transpires is subject to changes over time but this much is absolute that the profession of accounting and auditing as we know and have known is going to drastically change in the coming days.

The tremendous changes that business and economic activities worldwide have gone through in the last few decades, have opened new avenues for IT Freelancing to establish itself as the next big thing in business arena. Bangladesh, transitioning to more IT-centric businesses, holds a huge potential in this domain and has already emerged as a global freelancing hub under government patronage. The main objective of this study is to assess the present status and the future needs of IT Freelancing Business in Bangladesh. This study is of descriptive nature and based on primary and secondary data. Relevant statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. The study found that, 96.2% freelancers are below 35 years old and 80.8% have completed the tertiary education. Significant gender gap exists among the freelancers in terms of participation. It is found that 73.1% freelancers are working on a part-time basis and 33% want to be IT entrepreneur. Half of the freelancers have received training from government and private IT Institutes. Most of the freelancers are satisfied with the earnings from freelancing. Freelancers have observed lack of capital and IT infrastructure support, shortage of training facilities, payment-related issues and social barriers. In order to face the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution head on, the government should take initiatives for ensuring country branding, mobilization of funds, better internet connectivity and steady flow of foreign currency earnings from IT sector and thereby actualizing the ‘Digital Bangladesh’ agenda.

The tremendous changes that business and economic activities worldwide have gone through in the last few decades, have opened new avenues for IT Freelancing to establish itself as the next big thing in business arena. Bangladesh, transitioning to more IT-centric businesses, holds a huge potential in this domain and has already emerged as a global freelancing hub under government patronage. The main objective of this study is to assess the present status and the future needs of IT Freelancing Business in Bangladesh. This study is of descriptive nature and based on primary and secondary data. Relevant statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. The study found that, 96.2% freelancers are below 35 years old and 80.8% have completed the tertiary education. Significant gender gap exists among the freelancers in terms of participation. It is found that 73.1% freelancers are working on a part-time basis and 33% want to be IT entrepreneur. Half of the freelancers have received training from government and private IT Institutes. Most of the freelancers are satisfied with the earnings from freelancing. Freelancers have observed lack of capital and IT infrastructure support, shortage of training facilities, payment-related issues and social barriers. In order to face the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution head on, the government should take initiatives for ensuring country branding, mobilization of funds, better internet connectivity and steady flow of foreign currency earnings from IT sector and thereby actualizing the ‘Digital Bangladesh’ agenda.

The tremendous changes that business and economic activities worldwide have gone through in the last few decades, have opened new avenues for IT Freelancing to establish itself as the next big thing in business arena. Bangladesh, transitioning to more IT-centric businesses, holds a huge potential in this domain and has already emerged as a global freelancing hub under government patronage. The main objective of this study is to assess the present status and the future needs of IT Freelancing Business in Bangladesh. This study is of descriptive nature and based on primary and secondary data. Relevant statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. The study found that, 96.2% freelancers are below 35 years old and 80.8% have completed the tertiary education. Significant gender gap exists among the freelancers in terms of participation. It is found that 73.1% freelancers are working on a part-time basis and 33% want to be IT entrepreneur. Half of the freelancers have received training from government and private IT Institutes. Most of the freelancers are satisfied with the earnings from freelancing. Freelancers have observed lack of capital and IT infrastructure support, shortage of training facilities, payment-related issues and social barriers. In order to face the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution head on, the government should take initiatives for ensuring country branding, mobilization of funds, better internet connectivity and steady flow of foreign currency earnings from IT sector and thereby actualizing the ‘Digital Bangladesh’ agenda.

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in decision-making is regarded as the most impactful disruption in an organization's digitalization. However, the benefits of the algorithmic decision can be leveraged only if the managers of an organization adopt this technology. Research found that despite the superior performance of algorithms, people discount algorithmic decisions either deliberately or unintentionally, a phenomenon known as algorithm aversion. In this regard, the current study seeks to investigate whether managers' innovation resistance, measured by different barriers, has any impact on algorithm aversion. Analyzing the survey data of 167 bank/financial managers, we found that while value barriers, tradition barriers, and image barriers are significantly associated with algorithm aversion, such relationships are absent in the case of usage barriers and risk barriers. The findings of this study have several theoretical and practical implications.