When AI Comes Knocking on the Door of the International Payments Department – A Mix of Worry, Hope, and a Big Question

Having spent many years working in international payments and trade finance at a bank, and now retired, I still stay closely connected to the field. These days, I support and mentor young professionals working in banks and import-export companies. Over the past few years, I’ve felt a quiet but profound shift—AI (Artificial Intelligence) has begun knocking on the door of International Payments and Trade Finance departments.

And it’s not just knocking to say hello—it’s here to change the way we work.

 What is AI doing in the world of LCs (Letters of Credit)?

Imagine spending hours reviewing a thick stack of LC documents. Now imagine getting that done in just a few minutes. AI systems can compare documents against LC terms, analyze them according to UCP 600 and ISBP 821, flag inconsistencies, and even suggest solutions.

Put simply: reviewing documents is no longer an art—it’s becoming tech.

 What else can AI do?

• Fraud detection: It doesn’t sleep. It remembers every case. And it learns from them.
• Full process automation: From OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to NLP (Natural Language Processing), AI can turn a pile of paperwork into clean, structured information.
• Translation, compliance checks, dispute handling: Wherever accuracy and logic are needed, AI can step in.

What do banks gain—and lose?

The upside is clear: reduced costs, faster processing, and fewer legal risks. Customers are happier with speed and accuracy. Banks enjoy fewer complaints over minor errors.

But AI is also like a quiet flood. It doesn’t crash through the doors—it silently replaces manual processes: document checking, data entry, payment order reviews… It’s predicted that 50–75% of current work in international payment and trade finance centers could be replaced by AI within the next few years.

What about the people?

Some have started to worry about job security. And honestly, that fear isn’t unfounded.

But I still believe: real professionals will always have a place. Because no matter how smart AI gets, it still needs humans to understand clients, handle exceptions, negotiate disputes, and make strategic decisions.

The key is to adapt before you’re replaced.

A few tips for those in the field:

• Don’t avoid AI. Learn to work with it.
• Invest in professional certifications like CDCS or CSDG.
• Strengthen your analytical, legal, and client communication skills.
• Dive deeper into areas like export-import credit, supply chain finance, and risk management.

AI isn’t your rival—it’s your new teammate. A brilliant, fast, but very cold teammate. Meanwhile, we—those of us in the profession—still have what AI lacks: empathy, lived experience, and the guts to handle real-life situations.

So the question isn’t:

“Will AI replace me?”

But rather:

“What will I learn to stay the one who gets chosen in the age of AI?”

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Mr. Old Man, July 2025