AI is advancing as a strategic driver of the next generation of payments and treasury solutions, as organisations seek to leverage technology to address operational challenges effectively, a new report by HSBC, in collaboration with Accenture, highlights.   

The report, Navigating the AI Wave: Innovations in Commercial Payments, underlines how finance leaders expect AI tools to become increasingly integral to their risk management decision-making processes, with 61% saying AI is expected to be very or extremely useful compared to 38% today.

Beyond simple task automation, AI is now tackling more complex challenges in modern treasury and payment systems, which include resolving common pain-points, such as client servicing; streamlined payment processing; real-time data generation and robust fraud prevention. 

Manish Kohli, Head of Global Payments Solutions at HSBC, said: 

“We have been seeing an acceleration of innovation in payments and treasury functions in recent years, and HSBC has been actively investing in AI technologies to create value for our clients. We are navigating the AI journey together with them, exchanging insights and best practices drive forward innovation and operational efficiency.” 

The report also highlighted the gap between business need and readiness. Despite its immense potential, many organisations are currently unable to take full advantage of AI within their payments and treasury functions, due to the constraints of their current architecture and infrastructure.  

Businesses are increasingly looking to banking partners and tech companies for support to tailor AI tools for specific treasury needs. HSBC GPS is focused on using AI technologies to improve client experience and enhance operational efficiency. A notable example is FX Prompt, a proprietary AI model developed by HSBC, which offers clients improved visibility and control over foreign exchange transactions in cross-border payments.

The report also recommended that businesses invest in infrastructure that enables seamless data integration to deliver solid data to work from; establish governance frameworks to help manage risks associated with AI adoption and partner with technology players, banks and consultants to customise AI tools for specific treasury needs. 

Navigating the AI Wave: Innovations in Commercial Payments is the first report in a new AI-focused series by HSBC, in collaboration with Accenture. The series aims to foster dialogue on practical applications of AI in commercial payments, offering insights and best practices to help businesses navigate this transformative era.    

Amit Mallick, Accenture’s European Digital Payments Lead, said: 

"We are now looking at a payments ecosystem where fraud cases are easier to identify and manage, transactions happen in real-time across the globe, and every business, no matter the size, has access to cutting-edge financial tools. That’s the future AI is making possible — transforming commercial payments from routine processes into intelligent, data-driven interactions, enhancing efficiency, risk management, cybersecurity, and personalization."