Newell Brands Gives Internal Audit AI Oversight Role

Newell Brands has positioned its internal audit function at the center of AI adoption, giving auditors a seat at the table for every major AI implementation. Chief Audit Executive Keri Tracy says this approach is rare, with audit teams helping set deployment speed based on risk level and applying lean and Six Sigma methods before layering in AI. Tracy emphasizes that change management is critical to successful AI transformation, warning that even the best technology fails without bringing employees along. Internal audit also serves as a bridge between business teams and technology specialists, ensuring controls and accountability are built into adoption from the start.