Nuclear supplier audits are among the most important quality assurance activities in the industry. They verify that components meet strict safety and regulatory standards, safeguarding both plant operations and public safety. However, despite their significance, the audit process itself hasn't changed much in recent decades.

Auditors still spend 20-25 hours per audit cycle manually reviewing binders, spreadsheets, and hundreds of PDF pages. They perform regulatory crosswalks by hand, searching through 10 CFR 50 Appendix B criteria to match findings with specific requirements. Documentation is spread across email threads, SharePoint folders, and local drives. Each auditor also develops their own methods, resulting in inconsistent findings across teams.

At ETHANY, we saw a chance to improve this. Not by replacing auditors—their expertise and judgment are irreplaceable—but by providing them with better tools to do their work more efficiently.

That's the reason we created AuditLens AI.

Goal #1: Enhance Auditor Effectiveness Without Replacing Human Judgment

The first goal was clear: remove the manual grunt work that takes up auditor time but doesn't add value to the audit process. Searching through hundreds of PDF pages to find training records? That's not where an auditor's expertise should be. Manually cross-referencing findings against NRC regulations? That's administrative work, not risk assessment.

AuditLens AI automates these time-consuming tasks through smart document search and automated regulatory validation. Auditors can ask for supplier documentation in plain English—"Show me corrective actions from the last audit cycle"—and receive instant results with precise page citations. The AI also automatically links findings to 10 CFR 50 Appendix B criteria, regulatory guides, and NUREG documents.

But the auditor still makes the final decision. The AI doesn't replace judgment; it offers quicker access to information so auditors can concentrate on what they do best: assessing risk, evaluating supplier capabilities, and making sound compliance choices.

Goal #2: Standardize Audit Procedures While Preserving Flexibility

Audit consistency remains a constant challenge. Different auditors interpret regulations in various ways. Some focus mainly on documentation, while others prioritize interviews and observations. Findings from the same supplier can vary greatly depending on who conducts the audit.

This inconsistency causes issues for everyone. Suppliers get mixed signals about compliance standards. Utilities find it hard to keep solid audit records. And audit teams lack a common basis for assessing supplier performance.

AuditLens AI solves this by using a shared regulatory model. All auditors on the team access the same centralized regulations database. When the AI checks supplier evidence against requirements, it applies identical criteria and produces consistent citations. Auditors keep their own judgment and methods, but they all work from the same regulatory foundation.

At the same time, the platform stays flexible. Each utility can customize the regulations module to fit their specific procurement needs, internal QA standards, and site-specific criteria. The AI adjusts to your regulatory framework—not the other way around.

Goal #3: Ease Administrative Tasks So Auditors Can Focus on What Matters

The third goal was to cut down on the administrative workload that takes away from real audit work. Today, auditors spend hours organizing supplier documents, finding missing evidence, and managing versions across different file storage systems. They create manual checklists, write findings by hand, and put together reports after finishing the audit.

AuditLens AI consolidates everything into a secure workspace. Suppliers upload documents directly to the platform. The AI automatically tracks all file uploads, user modifications, and system actions. Auditors can save important conversations and findings for their records. Everything is stored in one place—eliminating scattered files across email, SharePoint, and local drives.

This centralization saves 20-25 hours per audit cycle on pre-audit preparation alone. It also creates a comprehensive audit trail that ensures defensibility and regulatory compliance.

The Result: AI-Enhanced Nuclear Auditing

When we launched the AuditLens AI pilot program, we aimed to demonstrate three key points:

1. AI can cut pre-audit document review time by 50-70% without compromising audit quality.

2. Standardized regulatory models enhance consistency while maintaining auditor judgment.

3. Centralized audit workspaces lead to better documentation and improved defensibility.

The pilot participants who tested the platform are confirming these goals. They're completing pre-audit reviews more quickly. They're identifying compliance gaps in minutes instead of hours. And they're keeping detailed, defensible audit records with less administrative effort.

Join the Pilot Program

AuditLens AI was developed by a team that understands nuclear quality assurance requirements. We have worked with nuclear utilities for over 35 years, helping them modernize their technology infrastructure while ensuring regulatory compliance.

We are now using that same expertise for nuclear supplier audits.

If you're a NUPIC auditor, a utility audit team member, or a quality assurance professional looking to change how you verify supplier compliance, we invite you to join the AuditLens AI pilot program. Limited spots are available for auditors eager to shape the future of AI-assisted nuclear auditing.

Learn more and book a demo: https://www.ethany.com/auditlens_ai