Artificial intelligence's effect on financial reports for listed banks in Saudi Arabia

Objectives: This study investigated the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on financial accounting practices in banks listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul), focusing on system integration, reporting accuracy, information interpretation, and presentation quality within a survey-based empirical context. It also considered the perceived benefits and challenges of AI adoption in the Saudi banking sector. Method: The study employed a quantitative, survey-based design, using primary data collected through a structured questionnaire administered to accountants, auditors, financial analysts, and managers in Saudi banks. Data were analyzed using SPSS, and reliability testing showed strong internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from 0.889 to 0.931. Results: The findings indicated statistically significant positive associations between AI adoption and all examined dimensions of financial accounting practices, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.54 to 0.87 (p <.01). Conclusion: The study provided empirical evidence from a survey-based investigation indicating that AI adoption was associated with improvements in the quality and efficiency of financial reporting in Saudi banks. These results reflected perceived relationships rather than causal effects, contributing to the limited literature on AI in financial accounting in emerging markets and offering practical implications for policymakers and banking leaders.