AI Disclosures in Accounting

Abstract

This paper will examine the level and character of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-related disclosures by the leading-performing companies in seven South Asian stock markets in 2020-24. Even though the world is researching more on AI communication, the limiting empirical evidence is found in the emerging South Asian markets. Based on the Stakeholder Theory, the report will study how businesses utilize AI, automation, analytics, and other technological terminologies to communicate innovation, transparency and strategic preparedness to investors and stakeholders at large. The research is structured in content-analysis. Annual and sustainability reports of the ten highest gainers of each of the exchanges; NSE (India), PSX (Pakistan), DSE (Bangladesh), CSE (Sri Lanka), NEPSE (Nepal), RSEB (Bhutan), and MSE (Maldives) have been checked. The AI-related disclosures were also extracted, classified, and counted manually to define any disclosure patterns on a keyword level as well as the firm level. To depict the usage as well as the adoption of AI by the companies in each exchange, charts were created. The results show significant inequalities in the region. India has the highest and the most diverse AI disclosure whereas Pakistan and Bangladesh have a moderate but uneven participation. The references in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan and the Maldives are minimal, implying early adoption or symbolic adoption. In all markets, the words of Analytics, Automation, and AI are most frequently used, and such advanced concepts as Deep Learning and Expert Systems are very rarity. On the whole, the paper finds that AI disclosure in South Asia is skewed and strongly tied to the maturity of the markets and the capabilities of a firm, which demonstrates the necessity to introduce more transparent and standardized reporting frameworks.