The use of artificial intelligence in algorithmic trading could exacerbate market volatility and amplify financial instability, according to a policy paper by the Bank of England released this week.
\nAs global markets reel from President Donald Trump\u2019s tariff policy changes, the United Kingdom\u2019s central bank warned that the widespread use of AI for trading and investing could lead to a \u201cherding\u201d behavior that could raise the chance of sudden market drops, especially during times of stress because firms might sell off assets at once.
\nAs more firms use AI for investing and trading, there\u2019s a risk that many will end up making the same decisions at the same time, the paper said.
\n\u201cGreater use of AI to inform trading and investment decisions could help increase market efficiency,\u201d per the paper. \u201cBut it could also lead market participants inadvertently to take actions collectively in such a way that reduces stability.\u201d
\nFor example, the use of more advanced AI-based trading strategies could lead firms to \u201ctaking increasingly correlated positions and acting in a similar way during a stress, thereby amplifying shocks,\u201d according to the paper.
\nSuch market instability can affect the amount of capital available to businesses since they can\u2019t raise as much when markets are down.
\nThe report comes as global equity and bond markets have been on a roller coaster since the Trump administration announced a minimum of 10% tariffs on imports from all countries, with China, the European Union and a few other countries getting hit with higher rates.
\nThe Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen by 6.2% since Trump\u2019s April 2 announcement, while the S&P 500 gave up 7.1% and the Nasdaq Composite fell by 6.9%. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yields rose from 4.053% to 4.509% over the same time frame as investors flocked to safety.
\nFederal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said tariffs are \u201clikely to raise inflation in coming quarters\u201d and \u201cit is also possible that the effects could be more persistent,\u201d according to a transcript of his April 4 speech before the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. Inflation is a key statistic influencing monetary policy such as the direction of the Fed funds rate.
\nPowell\u2019s comments came five days before Trump decided to pause tariffs for 90 days for nearly 60 countries, except China.
\nRead also: Trump Boosts Tariffs on Low-Value Packages Again After China Retaliates
\nThe use of AI in algorithmic trading could exacerbate these extremes because many companies rely on the same AI models or data, leading them to act similarly, according to the BoE paper.
\nAlthough AI might make markets more efficient by processing information faster than humans, it could also make them more fragile and less able to handle shocks, the paper said.
\nThe central banker said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) identified herding and market concentration as the top risks that could come from wider adoption of generative AI in the capital markets.
\nThe IMF\u2019s 2024 report said the adoption of AI in trading and investing is \u201clikely to increase significantly in the near future.\u201d While AI may reduce some financial stability risks through improved risk management and market monitoring, at the same time \u201cnew risks may arise, including increased market speed and volatility under stress\u201d and others.
\nOn the positive side, AI could help financial services firms manage risk more effectively by making better use of the data they already have, the BoE paper said. With stronger risk management, firms are less likely to be caught off guard when prices suddenly drop.
\nThat means they might not need to rush into selling off assets all at once, which is what happens during a fire sale. The resulting damage caused by market selloffs could be mitigated or even avoided.
\nThe central banker also pointed to another potential mitigating factor. If investment managers use AI to tailor strategies specifically for each client, it could lead to more market stability since people won\u2019t hold the same assets.
\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.
\nThe post Bank of England Warns of Higher Market Volatility From AI-Driven Trading appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The use of artificial intelligence in algorithmic trading could exacerbate market volatility and amplify financial instability, according to a policy paper by the Bank of England released this week.\nAs global markets reel from President Donald Trump\u2019s tariff policy changes, the United Kingdom\u2019s central bank warned that the widespread use of AI for trading and investing could lead to a \u201cherding\u201d behavior that could raise the chance of sudden market drops, especially during times of stress because firms might sell off assets at once.\nAs more firms use AI for investing and trading, there\u2019s a risk that many will end up making the same decisions at the same time, the paper said.\n\u201cGreater use of AI to inform trading and investment decisions could help increase market efficiency,\u201d per the paper. \u201cBut it could also lead market participants inadvertently to take actions collectively in such a way that reduces stability.\u201d\nFor example, the use of more advanced AI-based trading strategies could lead firms to \u201ctaking increasingly correlated positions and acting in a similar way during a stress, thereby amplifying shocks,\u201d according to the paper.\nSuch market instability can affect the amount of capital available to businesses since they can\u2019t raise as much when markets are down.\nThe report comes as global equity and bond markets have been on a roller coaster since the Trump administration announced a minimum of 10% tariffs on imports from all countries, with China, the European Union and a few other countries getting hit with higher rates.\nThe Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen by 6.2% since Trump\u2019s April 2 announcement, while the S&P 500 gave up 7.1% and the Nasdaq Composite fell by 6.9%. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yields rose from 4.053% to 4.509% over the same time frame as investors flocked to safety.\nFederal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said tariffs are \u201clikely to raise inflation in coming quarters\u201d and \u201cit is also possible that the effects could be more persistent,\u201d according to a transcript of his April 4 speech before the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. Inflation is a key statistic influencing monetary policy such as the direction of the Fed funds rate.\nPowell\u2019s comments came five days before Trump decided to pause tariffs for 90 days for nearly 60 countries, except China.\nRead also: Trump Boosts Tariffs on Low-Value Packages Again After China Retaliates\nAI and Systemic Shocks\nThe use of AI in algorithmic trading could exacerbate these extremes because many companies rely on the same AI models or data, leading them to act similarly, according to the BoE paper.\nAlthough AI might make markets more efficient by processing information faster than humans, it could also make them more fragile and less able to handle shocks, the paper said.\nThe central banker said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) identified herding and market concentration as the top risks that could come from wider adoption of generative AI in the capital markets.\nThe IMF\u2019s 2024 report said the adoption of AI in trading and investing is \u201clikely to increase significantly in the near future.\u201d While AI may reduce some financial stability risks through improved risk management and market monitoring, at the same time \u201cnew risks may arise, including increased market speed and volatility under stress\u201d and others.\nOn the positive side, AI could help financial services firms manage risk more effectively by making better use of the data they already have, the BoE paper said. With stronger risk management, firms are less likely to be caught off guard when prices suddenly drop.\nThat means they might not need to rush into selling off assets all at once, which is what happens during a fire sale. The resulting damage caused by market selloffs could be mitigated or even avoided.\nThe central banker also pointed to another potential mitigating factor. If investment managers use AI to tailor strategies specifically for each client, it could lead to more market stability since people won\u2019t hold the same assets.\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.\nThe post Bank of England Warns of Higher Market Volatility From AI-Driven Trading appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-11T14:42:44-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-11T14:42:44-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Bank-England-AI-trading.jpg", "tags": [ "Artificial Intelligence", "Bank of England", "economy", "GenAI", "inflation", "Innovation", "Investments", "News", "PYMNTS News", "stock market", "Stocks", "tariffs", "taxes", "Technology" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2682815", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/news/artificial-intelligence/2025/this-week-in-ai-mitigate-tariff-uncertainty-bank-america-tech-investment/", "title": "This Week in AI: Using AI to Mitigate Tariff Uncertainty and Bank of America\u2019s Big Bet", "content_html": "Artificial intelligence continues to dominate headlines as businesses accelerate their digital transformations. From banking to AI models, here are the top stories PYMNTS published this week.
\nThe ability of AI to make businesses more efficient is coming in handy as President Donald Trump\u2019s back-and-forth on tariffs is making the markets swoon.
\nA Zilliant survey found that 83% of U.S. C-suite leaders are using AI to adapt their pricing strategies to economic volatility.
\nAI can help by monitoring and understanding tariffs in real time; finding new suppliers or sources for raw materials; improving scenario planning; raising worker productivity; and reducing costs.
\nBank of America is allocating $4 billion toward new initiatives including AI in 2025, or nearly a third of its overall tech budget.
\nThe financial services giant is seeing the benefits of using AI and machine learning, a journey it began in 2018 after launching an AI-powered virtual assistant called Erica to help consumers with financial matters. That\u2019s four years before ChatGPT became a household name.
\nGains across its business include a 50% reduction in calls to IT support after employees began using Erica for Employees, an internal AI chatbot. Developers were able to raise their efficiency by 20%. Employees save tens of thousands of hours per year by using AI to prepare materials ahead of client meetings, while sales and trading teams are more quickly and efficiently finding and summarizing Bank of America research and market commentary.
\nAI is becoming the equivalent of a corporate \u201cpacemaker\u201d as the technology helps enterprises manage their financial operations by automating and regulating billions of dollars in disbursements.
\nThe result is that AI is becoming a profit center that helps businesses streamline their payment processes, ensure disbursements flow on time and in the right amount, and better manage their capital.
\nMore than 80% of chief financial officers at large companies are either already using AI or considering adopting it for a core financial function, according to a forthcoming PYMNTS Intelligence report, \u201cSmart Spending: How AI Is Transforming Financial Decision Making.\u201d
\nSalesforce is experiencing explosive growth in its data cloud platform, driven by enterprise demand for generative and agentic AI, technologies that rely on clean, unified, real-time data to be effective.
\nIn an interview with PYMNTS, Gabrielle Tao, senior vice president of product management at Salesforce, said most companies struggle to unlock the full value of their scattered and siloed data.
\nMeta released its open-source Llama 4 models this week: Llama 4 Scout and Maverick.
\nThey are the first multimodal models from Meta, meaning they can ingest images, not only text. Scout has a 10 million token context window (the amount of space for prompts). The previous record holder was Google\u2019s Gemini 2.5, with 1 million and going up to 2 million.
\nLlama 4 is a challenge to proprietary models from OpenAI and Google.
\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.
\nThe post This Week in AI: Using AI to Mitigate Tariff Uncertainty and Bank of America\u2019s Big Bet appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Artificial intelligence continues to dominate headlines as businesses accelerate their digital transformations. From banking to AI models, here are the top stories PYMNTS published this week.\nCompanies Use AI to Help Mitigate Tariff Impacts\nThe ability of AI to make businesses more efficient is coming in handy as President Donald Trump\u2019s back-and-forth on tariffs is making the markets swoon.\nA Zilliant survey found that 83% of U.S. C-suite leaders are using AI to adapt their pricing strategies to economic volatility.\nAI can help by monitoring and understanding tariffs in real time; finding new suppliers or sources for raw materials; improving scenario planning; raising worker productivity; and reducing costs.\nBank of America Invests in New Initiatives Like AI\nBank of America is allocating $4 billion toward new initiatives including AI in 2025, or nearly a third of its overall tech budget.\nThe financial services giant is seeing the benefits of using AI and machine learning, a journey it began in 2018 after launching an AI-powered virtual assistant called Erica to help consumers with financial matters. That\u2019s four years before ChatGPT became a household name.\nGains across its business include a 50% reduction in calls to IT support after employees began using Erica for Employees, an internal AI chatbot. Developers were able to raise their efficiency by 20%. Employees save tens of thousands of hours per year by using AI to prepare materials ahead of client meetings, while sales and trading teams are more quickly and efficiently finding and summarizing Bank of America research and market commentary.\nAI Helps Businesses Streamline Payment Processes\nAI is becoming the equivalent of a corporate \u201cpacemaker\u201d as the technology helps enterprises manage their financial operations by automating and regulating billions of dollars in disbursements.\nThe result is that AI is becoming a profit center that helps businesses streamline their payment processes, ensure disbursements flow on time and in the right amount, and better manage their capital.\nMore than 80% of chief financial officers at large companies are either already using AI or considering adopting it for a core financial function, according to a forthcoming PYMNTS Intelligence report, \u201cSmart Spending: How AI Is Transforming Financial Decision Making.\u201d\nSalesforce Sees Massive Growth in Data Cloud Platform\nSalesforce is experiencing explosive growth in its data cloud platform, driven by enterprise demand for generative and agentic AI, technologies that rely on clean, unified, real-time data to be effective.\nIn an interview with PYMNTS, Gabrielle Tao, senior vice president of product management at Salesforce, said most companies struggle to unlock the full value of their scattered and siloed data.\nMeta\u2019s Open-Source Llama 4 Bad for Rivals Like OpenAI\nMeta released its open-source Llama 4 models this week: Llama 4 Scout and Maverick.\nThey are the first multimodal models from Meta, meaning they can ingest images, not only text. Scout has a 10 million token context window (the amount of space for prompts). The previous record holder was Google\u2019s Gemini 2.5, with 1 million and going up to 2 million.\nLlama 4 is a challenge to proprietary models from OpenAI and Google.\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.\nThe post This Week in AI: Using AI to Mitigate Tariff Uncertainty and Bank of America\u2019s Big Bet appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-11T13:20:52-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-11T13:20:52-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Bank-of-America-1.jpg", "tags": [ "Artificial Intelligence", "automation", "Bank of America", "chatbots", "disbursements", "GenAI", "Innovation", "Meta", "News", "PYMNTS News", "Salesforce", "tariffs", "Technology" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2681816", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/news/artificial-intelligence/2025/alphabet-faces-investor-concern-about-ai-challenge-search-business/", "title": "Alphabet Faces Investor Concern About AI Challenge to Search Business", "content_html": "Alphabet\u2019s stock is reportedly considered to be undervalued as investors wonder if artificial intelligence will take away some of its market share in search.
\nThe Google parent company\u2019s stock is down 16% this year, is underperforming other AI stocks like Microsoft and Meta, and is the cheapest among the Magnificent Seven companies, Bloomberg reported Thursday (April 10).
\nInvestors are concerned that Alphabet\u2019s dominance in search means it has nowhere to go but down, that the company has fallen behind its competitors in AI, that it is making substantial investments in AI, and that younger consumers are using AI services rather than traditional search, according to the report.
\nSince January 2023, around the time OpenAI\u2019s ChatGPT appeared, Alphabet\u2019s share of the global market for search engines has slid from 92.9% to 89.6%, the report said.
\nAt the same time, Alphabet has several strengths that suggest its stock is undervalued, the report said.
\nIts ad business is not as exposed to tariff risk as other businesses, its revenue is expected to grow about 16% this year, and its wide range of businesses includes not only search and AI but also things like media and autonomous vehicles, per the report.
\nIt was reported in February that investors were questioning the amount Alphabet is spending on AI. The company is estimated to have spent $50 billion on the technology in 2024 and is expected to spend more in 2025.
\nA combination of elevated investment in AI and challenges to revenue growth \u2014 such as the launch of low-cost AI models by DeepSeek \u2014 led to scrutiny by investors.
\nIn December, it was reported that Google CEO Sundar Pichai told the tech giant\u2019s employees that \u201c2025 will be critical.\u201d
\n\u201cI think it\u2019s really important we internalize the urgency of this moment and need to move faster as a company,\u201d Pichai said. \u201cThe stakes are high. These are disruptive moments. In 2025, we need to be relentlessly focused on unlocking the benefits of this technology and solve real user problems.\u201d
\nThe pressures facing Google include challenges to its search ads and cloud services businesses, increased competition and regulation.
\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.
\nThe post Alphabet Faces Investor Concern About AI Challenge to Search Business appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Alphabet\u2019s stock is reportedly considered to be undervalued as investors wonder if artificial intelligence will take away some of its market share in search.\nThe Google parent company\u2019s stock is down 16% this year, is underperforming other AI stocks like Microsoft and Meta, and is the cheapest among the Magnificent Seven companies, Bloomberg reported Thursday (April 10).\nInvestors are concerned that Alphabet\u2019s dominance in search means it has nowhere to go but down, that the company has fallen behind its competitors in AI, that it is making substantial investments in AI, and that younger consumers are using AI services rather than traditional search, according to the report.\nSince January 2023, around the time OpenAI\u2019s ChatGPT appeared, Alphabet\u2019s share of the global market for search engines has slid from 92.9% to 89.6%, the report said.\nAt the same time, Alphabet has several strengths that suggest its stock is undervalued, the report said.\nIts ad business is not as exposed to tariff risk as other businesses, its revenue is expected to grow about 16% this year, and its wide range of businesses includes not only search and AI but also things like media and autonomous vehicles, per the report.\nIt was reported in February that investors were questioning the amount Alphabet is spending on AI. The company is estimated to have spent $50 billion on the technology in 2024 and is expected to spend more in 2025.\nA combination of elevated investment in AI and challenges to revenue growth \u2014 such as the launch of low-cost AI models by DeepSeek \u2014 led to scrutiny by investors.\nIn December, it was reported that Google CEO Sundar Pichai told the tech giant\u2019s employees that \u201c2025 will be critical.\u201d\n\u201cI think it\u2019s really important we internalize the urgency of this moment and need to move faster as a company,\u201d Pichai said. \u201cThe stakes are high. These are disruptive moments. In 2025, we need to be relentlessly focused on unlocking the benefits of this technology and solve real user problems.\u201d\nThe pressures facing Google include challenges to its search ads and cloud services businesses, increased competition and regulation.\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.\nThe post Alphabet Faces Investor Concern About AI Challenge to Search Business appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-10T10:15:00-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-10T10:15:00-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Alphabet-Google.jpg", "tags": [ "Alphabet", "Artificial Intelligence", "Big Tech", "GenAI", "Google", "Innovation", "News", "PYMNTS News", "Stocks", "Technology", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2681366", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/news/artificial-intelligence/2025/why-ai-is-becoming-the-pacemaker-of-company-finances/", "title": "Why AI Is Becoming the \u2018Pacemaker\u2019 of Company Finances", "content_html": "Company finances are the hidden, beating heart of a business. Suppliers and workers don\u2019t see the behind-the-scenes details of how they get paid, just that the money flows into their bank accounts (or, increasingly, digital wallets).
\nBut as enterprises increasingly adopt artificial intelligence (AI) to help them manage their financial operations, it\u2019s turning the rapidly evolving technology into the equivalent of a corporate pacemaker, automating and regulating the smooth flow of billions of dollars in disbursements.
\nIn the process, AI is becoming a profit center that helps businesses streamline their payment processes, ensure disbursements flow on time \u2014\u00a0and in the right amount \u2014\u00a0and better manage their capital.
\nA forthcoming report titled \u201cSmart Spending: How AI is Transforming Financial Decision Making,\u201d a collaboration between PYMNTS Intelligence and Coupa, finds that more than eight in 10 CFOs at large companies are either already using AI or considering adopting it for a core financial function: accounts payable, or the process by which companies pay their suppliers, vendors and contractors.
\nThe trend is particularly pronounced among the biggest enterprises, with 75% of companies earning more than $10 billion annually having already blended AI into their payment processes. Imagine payment processes flowing seamlessly, expenditures laid bare with new clarity and operational efficiency improving \u2014 just like an elite athlete with a pacemaker.
\nWhat exactly does AI do in the realm of accounts payable?
\nFor one, it can assist in managing payment terms and optimizing a company\u2019s working capital. Those improvements in turn can fuel enhanced visibility into a balance sheet and smarter spending decisions. More than two in three enterprise CFOs are willing to invest in AI solutions that provide real-time visibility into expenditures, a sign of the fundamental shift that AI is driving in financial management.
\nThe report, which publishes on Friday (April 11), shows how CFOs increasingly recognize the power of AI not just to streamline one of their most important and routine functions but also to boost their margins.
\nBut the path to integrating AI into an existing accounts payable system is notoriously bumpy.
\nNearly two-thirds of CFOs report difficulties in making the different systems work together seamlessly. Another hurdle is the lack of customization offered by some AI tools, making it hard for companies to tailor the technology to their specific needs.
\nFor service-based businesses, high upfront implementation costs can also be a major concern. Additionally, companies with complex operations or those spanning multiple regions may find it challenging to implement AI due to varying local regulations. In some instances, particularly in the technology sector, there are concerns about whether AI-generated results are always consistent or replicable, which can affect trust in automated decision-making. Call it AI\u2019s heart arrhythmia.
\nDespite these challenges, the demand for AI solutions in financial management is growing.
\nCFOs are increasingly willing to invest in AI tools that offer real-time visibility into expenditures, with 68% indicating a willingness to pay for this capability. There is also significant interest in AI that can support vendor negotiations, optimize budgets, detect fraud and provide predictive analytics. The report details how this willingness to invest in AI reflects a growing recognition of the technology\u2019s potential to transform financial operations and create a new competitive edge.
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 AI is being widely adopted in accounts payable by large companies to automate processes and improve efficiency
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Companies are experiencing tangible benefits from AI adoption including better visibility into spending, reduced payment errors and improved vendor relationships.
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Integrating AI into existing financial systems can be challenging due to compatibility issues, lack of customization and implementation costs.
\n\u2022 There is a strong and growing demand for AI-powered financial tools that offer real-time spend tracking, budget optimization and predictive analytics, indicating a significant shift toward AI-driven financial management.
\nThe post Why AI Is Becoming the \u2018Pacemaker\u2019 of Company Finances appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Company finances are the hidden, beating heart of a business. Suppliers and workers don\u2019t see the behind-the-scenes details of how they get paid, just that the money flows into their bank accounts (or, increasingly, digital wallets).\nBut as enterprises increasingly adopt artificial intelligence (AI) to help them manage their financial operations, it\u2019s turning the rapidly evolving technology into the equivalent of a corporate pacemaker, automating and regulating the smooth flow of billions of dollars in disbursements. \nIn the process, AI is becoming a profit center that helps businesses streamline their payment processes, ensure disbursements flow on time \u2014\u00a0and in the right amount \u2014\u00a0and better manage their capital.\nA forthcoming report titled \u201cSmart Spending: How AI is Transforming Financial Decision Making,\u201d a collaboration between PYMNTS Intelligence and Coupa, finds that more than eight in 10 CFOs at large companies are either already using AI or considering adopting it for a core financial function: accounts payable, or the process by which companies pay their suppliers, vendors and contractors. \nThe trend is particularly pronounced among the biggest enterprises, with 75% of companies earning more than $10 billion annually having already blended AI into their payment processes. Imagine payment processes flowing seamlessly, expenditures laid bare with new clarity and operational efficiency improving \u2014 just like an elite athlete with a pacemaker.\nWhat exactly does AI do in the realm of accounts payable? \nFor one, it can assist in managing payment terms and optimizing a company\u2019s working capital. Those improvements in turn can fuel enhanced visibility into a balance sheet and smarter spending decisions. More than two in three enterprise CFOs are willing to invest in AI solutions that provide real-time visibility into expenditures, a sign of the fundamental shift that AI is driving in financial management. \nThe report, which publishes on Friday (April 11), shows how CFOs increasingly recognize the power of AI not just to streamline one of their most important and routine functions but also to boost their margins.\nIrregular Heartbeat\nBut the path to integrating AI into an existing accounts payable system is notoriously bumpy. \nNearly two-thirds of CFOs report difficulties in making the different systems work together seamlessly. Another hurdle is the lack of customization offered by some AI tools, making it hard for companies to tailor the technology to their specific needs. \nFor service-based businesses, high upfront implementation costs can also be a major concern. Additionally, companies with complex operations or those spanning multiple regions may find it challenging to implement AI due to varying local regulations. In some instances, particularly in the technology sector, there are concerns about whether AI-generated results are always consistent or replicable, which can affect trust in automated decision-making. Call it AI\u2019s heart arrhythmia.\nDespite these challenges, the demand for AI solutions in financial management is growing. \nCFOs are increasingly willing to invest in AI tools that offer real-time visibility into expenditures, with 68% indicating a willingness to pay for this capability. There is also significant interest in AI that can support vendor negotiations, optimize budgets, detect fraud and provide predictive analytics. The report details how this willingness to invest in AI reflects a growing recognition of the technology\u2019s potential to transform financial operations and create a new competitive edge.\nKey Takeaways\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 AI is being widely adopted in accounts payable by large companies to automate processes and improve efficiency\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Companies are experiencing tangible benefits from AI adoption including better visibility into spending, reduced payment errors and improved vendor relationships.\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Integrating AI into existing financial systems can be challenging due to compatibility issues, lack of customization and implementation costs.\n\u2022 There is a strong and growing demand for AI-powered financial tools that offer real-time spend tracking, budget optimization and predictive analytics, indicating a significant shift toward AI-driven financial management.\nThe post Why AI Is Becoming the \u2018Pacemaker\u2019 of Company Finances appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-10T04:02:44-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-09T22:15:11-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pacemaker.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "Artificial Intelligence", "B2B", "CFOs", "Chief Financial Officers", "Coupa", "digital transformation", "Featured News", "News", "PYMNTS Intelligence", "PYMNTS News", "spend management", "treasury", "treasury management", "working capital" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2681077", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/news/artificial-intelligence/2025/health-systems-tap-genai-to-transform-patient-care/", "title": "Healthcare Providers Prescribe AI to Combat Burnout and Enhance Patient Experiences", "content_html": "Two major health care providers \u2014 Highmark Health and Hackensack Meridian Health \u2014 are betting big on the technology to transform care delivery, reduce burnout and reimagine patient experiences.
\nDuring a press briefing Wednesday (April 9) convened by Google Cloud, Richard Clarke, chief data and analytics officer of Pittsburgh-based Highmark, and Sameer Sethi, chief AI officer of Hackensack Meridian, discussed their practical experiences with rolling out artificial intelligence (AI) in a highly regulated industry.
\n\u201cWe really see this as a transformational technology,\u201d Clarke said.
\nHighmark, which operates both a payer and provider network, has rolled out GenAI tools to more than 14,000 of its 40,000 employees. Already, they\u2019ve surpassed one million prompts, using Google Cloud\u2019s Gemini and Vertex AI as foundational tools.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s been really a cornerstone for us to get comfortable with that, because we\u2019re obviously dealing with incredibly sensitive information and data every single day,\u201d Clarke said.
\nThe impact also goes far beyond efficiency. Clarke said Highmark is using AI for software development, in its contact centers, for prior authorization processes and most notably, in ambient listening tools, which are technologies that use voice recognition to transcribe and interpret conversations between providers and patients.
\n\u201cThat has been a true gift to bring joy back to practice for many of our clinicians,\u201d Clarke said.
\nSethi said Hackensack Meridian is taking what he calls a \u201chyperscale\u201d approach to AI deployment.
\nThe Edison, New Jersey-based health system has grouped its AI investments into six strategic focus areas:
\nFor example, it ensures that employees can get the right information they need at the time they need it for their jobs. For patients, they will have access to and understand their medical records before meeting with the physician, among other use cases.
\nAutomating tasks like note-taking and manual data entry to speed up administrative tasks. For example, rather than nurses manually entering test results from paper documents, AI tools now scan and integrate them into electronic medical records.
\nReducing the administrative burden on doctors and nurses will mitigate burnout.
\nLooking through the patient\u2019s data not only for early disease detection but to predict potential illnesses from signals in their medical records.
\nUsing AI to customize treatment to the individual patient level that is attuned to their needs.
\nFinding more ways to advance medical innovations, with help from the latest technologies.
\nRead more: Microsoft\u2019s AI Healthcare Push Aims to Boost Efficiency, Enhance Patient Care
\nBeyond current implementations, both leaders are eyeing the next frontier: AI agents capable of reasoning, planning and taking action across systems.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s the ability to go from insight to action,\u201d Sethi said.
\nSethi described a future vision where a single agent could handle an entire patient journey. From setting a patient\u2019s appointment, to arranging for a ride to and from the hospital, making sure a wheelchair is available as requested, and picking up the medication en route to bring the patient home.
\nThose are six or seven steps done by human workers today, Sethi said.
\nWhile still aspirational, some pieces are already in place. Sethi said Hackensack has built a \u201cnurse agent\u201d that allows nurses to query vast documentation and receive recommended next steps, replacing time-consuming keyword searches.
\nClarke echoed the importance of the transition to AI.
\n\u201cMost of our work has been internal to our workforce,\u201d he said. But \u201cI\u2019m very excited about this next phase (of AI agents) directly interacting with our patients \u2026 where high quality guidance is there all the time, always on.\u201d
\nClarke also said that the challenges they thought would impede AI adoption a few years ago, such as hallucinations and costs, \u201care really just not turning out to be the barriers that maybe we thought they were.\u201d
\nTechniques like RAG have been reducing hallucinations, and costs per token have been coming down as well, Clarke said. Pairing that with the benefits they get from deploying generative AI, Highmark sees value being created.
\nAs for hurdles to AI agent adoption, Clarke said that AI needs access to data and systems, as well as an orchestration framework for everything to work. Another factor is the organization\u2019s own risk tolerance \u2014 how comfortable are they in letting AI agents autonomously complete tasks?
\nAt Highmark, Clarke said they place use cases in \u201cshadow mode\u201d before moving to full automation on tasks in which they have high confidence the AI will do them right, which are typically lower-risk activities.
\nAt Hackensack Meridian, Sethi said the hurdle is deciding which part of a human task they should automate.
\n\u201cWe went through these journeys as a part of the robotics process, automation phase,\u201d Sethi said. \u201cBuilding the automation, or the agents to actually do this, is not the hardest part. Rather, it\u2019s figuring out what can and should be automated. That\u2019s what slows us down.\u201d
\nThe post Healthcare Providers Prescribe AI to Combat Burnout and Enhance Patient Experiences appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Two major health care providers \u2014 Highmark Health and Hackensack Meridian Health \u2014 are betting big on the technology to transform care delivery, reduce burnout and reimagine patient experiences.\nDuring a press briefing Wednesday (April 9) convened by Google Cloud, Richard Clarke, chief data and analytics officer of Pittsburgh-based Highmark, and Sameer Sethi, chief AI officer of Hackensack Meridian, discussed their practical experiences with rolling out artificial intelligence (AI) in a highly regulated industry.\n\u201cWe really see this as a transformational technology,\u201d Clarke said.\nHighmark, which operates both a payer and provider network, has rolled out GenAI tools to more than 14,000 of its 40,000 employees. Already, they\u2019ve surpassed one million prompts, using Google Cloud\u2019s Gemini and Vertex AI as foundational tools.\n\u201cIt\u2019s been really a cornerstone for us to get comfortable with that, because we\u2019re obviously dealing with incredibly sensitive information and data every single day,\u201d Clarke said.\nThe impact also goes far beyond efficiency. Clarke said Highmark is using AI for software development, in its contact centers, for prior authorization processes and most notably, in ambient listening tools, which are technologies that use voice recognition to transcribe and interpret conversations between providers and patients.\n\u201cThat has been a true gift to bring joy back to practice for many of our clinicians,\u201d Clarke said.\nSethi said Hackensack Meridian is taking what he calls a \u201chyperscale\u201d approach to AI deployment.\nThe Edison, New Jersey-based health system has grouped its AI investments into six strategic focus areas:\n\nPersonalized and equitable patient and employee experiences\n\nFor example, it ensures that employees can get the right information they need at the time they need it for their jobs. For patients, they will have access to and understand their medical records before meeting with the physician, among other use cases.\n\nAdministrative and clinical efficiencies\n\nAutomating tasks like note-taking and manual data entry to speed up administrative tasks. For example, rather than nurses manually entering test results from paper documents, AI tools now scan and integrate them into electronic medical records.\n\nBurnout alleviation\n\nReducing the administrative burden on doctors and nurses will mitigate burnout.\n\nDisease prediction\n\nLooking through the patient\u2019s data not only for early disease detection but to predict potential illnesses from signals in their medical records.\n\nPrecision treatment\n\nUsing AI to customize treatment to the individual patient level that is attuned to their needs.\n\nResearch and innovation\n\nFinding more ways to advance medical innovations, with help from the latest technologies.\nRead more: Microsoft\u2019s AI Healthcare Push Aims to Boost Efficiency, Enhance Patient Care\nA Multi-Agent Future for Healthcare\nBeyond current implementations, both leaders are eyeing the next frontier: AI agents capable of reasoning, planning and taking action across systems.\n\u201cIt\u2019s the ability to go from insight to action,\u201d Sethi said.\nSethi described a future vision where a single agent could handle an entire patient journey. From setting a patient\u2019s appointment, to arranging for a ride to and from the hospital, making sure a wheelchair is available as requested, and picking up the medication en route to bring the patient home.\nThose are six or seven steps done by human workers today, Sethi said.\nWhile still aspirational, some pieces are already in place. Sethi said Hackensack has built a \u201cnurse agent\u201d that allows nurses to query vast documentation and receive recommended next steps, replacing time-consuming keyword searches.\nClarke echoed the importance of the transition to AI.\n\u201cMost of our work has been internal to our workforce,\u201d he said. But \u201cI\u2019m very excited about this next phase (of AI agents) directly interacting with our patients \u2026 where high quality guidance is there all the time, always on.\u201d\nClarke also said that the challenges they thought would impede AI adoption a few years ago, such as hallucinations and costs, \u201care really just not turning out to be the barriers that maybe we thought they were.\u201d\nTechniques like RAG have been reducing hallucinations, and costs per token have been coming down as well, Clarke said. Pairing that with the benefits they get from deploying generative AI, Highmark sees value being created.\nAs for hurdles to AI agent adoption, Clarke said that AI needs access to data and systems, as well as an orchestration framework for everything to work. Another factor is the organization\u2019s own risk tolerance \u2014 how comfortable are they in letting AI agents autonomously complete tasks?\nAt Highmark, Clarke said they place use cases in \u201cshadow mode\u201d before moving to full automation on tasks in which they have high confidence the AI will do them right, which are typically lower-risk activities.\nAt Hackensack Meridian, Sethi said the hurdle is deciding which part of a human task they should automate.\n\u201cWe went through these journeys as a part of the robotics process, automation phase,\u201d Sethi said. \u201cBuilding the automation, or the agents to actually do this, is not the hardest part. Rather, it\u2019s figuring out what can and should be automated. That\u2019s what slows us down.\u201d\nThe post Healthcare Providers Prescribe AI to Combat Burnout and Enhance Patient Experiences appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-09T14:00:47-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-09T22:08:46-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Healthcare-GenAI-Highmark-Hackensack.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "Artificial Intelligence", "Featured News", "GenAI", "generative AI", "generative artificial intelligence", "Hackensack Meridian Health", "Healthcare", "Highmark Health", "News", "PYMNTS News", "Richard Clarke", "Sameer Sethi" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2628655", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/news/artificial-intelligence/2025/need-for-on-chain-trust-grows-as-ai-agents-flood-crypto/", "title": "Need for On-Chain Trust Grows as AI Agents Flood Crypto", "content_html": "Agentic artificial intelligence (AI) software systems are fast becoming the new power users\u00a0of the internet.
\nThese autonomous digital entities, capable of browsing, buying, trading, negotiating and even governing, are at the tip of payments and commerce innovation.
\nAmazon, for example,\u00a0is testing a feature using agentic AI to help customers buy items from other brands while remaining within Amazon\u2019s platform; while Paid, a startup, emerged from stealth last month to scale its financial infrastructure that helps the builders of AI agents get paid.
\nYet for blockchain-native ecosystems, the rise of AI agents represents both a critical opportunity and a pivotal challenge. The opportunity is clear: intelligent agents can supercharge decentralized applications (dApps), DAOs, DeFi protocols and other on-chain ecosystems by automating complex interactions and executing tasks at scale.
\nThe challenge, particularly for businesses? It is ensuring these agents can be trusted, and that their actions are traceable to real human intent when needed.
\nThe crypto space has long championed the values of decentralization, permissionlessness and privacy. But in doing so, it\u2019s often sacrificed usability and safety. Bots have gamed airdrops. Anonymous fraudsters have drained DeFi protocols. Coordinated misinformation campaigns have exploited DAOs.
\nPYMNTS covered Sunday (April 6) how cryptocurrency have thefts surged\u00a0by\u00a0303%\u00a0in the first quarter of 2025 alone.
\nAs AI agents begin to flood the same ecosystems, these problems could multiply \u2014 unless a better trust layer is built.
\nRead more: Blockchain Interoperability Hits the Right Note for Crypto Payments
\nWith AI agents taking on more responsibility, digital identity becomes more than a trust layer. It becomes the interface. In Web2, user identity is fragmented across platforms, controlled by centralized entities and vulnerable to exploitation. In Web3, identity is portable, composable and verifiable. AI agents will need to navigate this new terrain with clarity and consistency, whether they are interacting with humans, smart contracts or each other.
\nJust as websites have domain names and SSL certificates to signal trust, AI agents will need identity protocols to prove their legitimacy and intent. This could be especially critical in high-stakes domains like finance and payments, where trust is paramount and failure can be costly.
\n\u201cEvery crypto protocol needs to consider how this new technology will fit into their operations,\u201d Harrison Seletsky, director at SPACE ID, told PYMNTS in an interview. \u201cVerifiable on-chain identities will simplify AI-to-human and AI-to-AI interactions, making them safer by giving AI agents a humanly recognizable name, thereby cleaning out bots and bad actors from mispresenting themselves.\u201d
\nImagine a world where every AI agent has a unique, human-readable identity: something like trader.bot.eth or governance.vote.ai. These identities would be more than just names; they would carry on-chain credentials, transaction histories and behavioral reputations that are cryptographically verified.
\nIn a financial context, this could be transformative. Once an AI agent has a track record, a known creator and a wallet that\u2019s been through know your customer (KYC) or holds certain credentials, the calculus around trust and identity could change.
\nSee also:\u00a0Stablecoin Sandwiches? Here\u2019s What CFOs Need to Know About Crypto\u00a0Jargon
\nThe potential for AI and blockchain payments to merge into a seamless, efficient and secure ecosystem is becoming increasingly undeniable to its proponents. However, it will require more than just technological breakthroughs. Collaboration between the AI and blockchain communities, as well as regulators and traditional financial institutions, will be crucial.
\nChainalysis\u00a0co-founder and CEO\u00a0Jonathan Levin told Karen Webster in an interview posted Monday (April 7) that the integration of AI tools offers the potential for enhancing crypto literacy, compliance and the fight against illicit financial activity, particularly as crypto becomes further integrated into mainstream financial landscapes.
\nAfter all, PayPal announced Friday (April 4) that PayPal\u00a0and\u00a0Venmo\u00a0users can now buy, hold, sell and transfer the cryptocurrencies\u00a0Chainlink\u00a0(LINK) and\u00a0Solana\u00a0(SOL) directly\u00a0in their accounts; while Ripple\u00a0on Wednesday (April 2) integrated its U.S. dollar-denominated stablecoin,\u00a0Ripple USD\u00a0(RLUSD), into its cross-border payment solution,\u00a0Ripple Payments.
\nThe marketplace is responding with secure solutions that balance AI and blockchain. On Tuesday (April 8), the blockchain-focused AI cybersecurity startup\u00a0Octane\u00a0emerged from stealth and announced it secured $6.75 million in a seed funding round. Octane uses machine learning to continuously analyze blockchain codebases, identify vulnerabilities and remediate them before they can be exploited.
\nThe post Need for On-Chain Trust Grows as AI Agents Flood Crypto appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Agentic artificial intelligence (AI) software systems are fast becoming the new power users\u00a0of the internet.\nThese autonomous digital entities, capable of browsing, buying, trading, negotiating and even governing, are at the tip of payments and commerce innovation.\nAmazon, for example,\u00a0is testing a feature using agentic AI to help customers buy items from other brands while remaining within Amazon\u2019s platform; while Paid, a startup, emerged from stealth last month to scale its financial infrastructure that helps the builders of AI agents get paid.\nYet for blockchain-native ecosystems, the rise of AI agents represents both a critical opportunity and a pivotal challenge. The opportunity is clear: intelligent agents can supercharge decentralized applications (dApps), DAOs, DeFi protocols and other on-chain ecosystems by automating complex interactions and executing tasks at scale.\nThe challenge, particularly for businesses? It is ensuring these agents can be trusted, and that their actions are traceable to real human intent when needed.\nThe crypto space has long championed the values of decentralization, permissionlessness and privacy. But in doing so, it\u2019s often sacrificed usability and safety. Bots have gamed airdrops. Anonymous fraudsters have drained DeFi protocols. Coordinated misinformation campaigns have exploited DAOs.\nPYMNTS covered Sunday (April 6) how cryptocurrency have thefts surged\u00a0by\u00a0303%\u00a0in the first quarter of 2025 alone.\nAs AI agents begin to flood the same ecosystems, these problems could multiply \u2014 unless a better trust layer is built.\nRead more: Blockchain Interoperability Hits the Right Note for Crypto Payments\nTrust Is Missing Layer Between AI and Blockchain\nWith AI agents taking on more responsibility, digital identity becomes more than a trust layer. It becomes the interface. In Web2, user identity is fragmented across platforms, controlled by centralized entities and vulnerable to exploitation. In Web3, identity is portable, composable and verifiable. AI agents will need to navigate this new terrain with clarity and consistency, whether they are interacting with humans, smart contracts or each other.\nJust as websites have domain names and SSL certificates to signal trust, AI agents will need identity protocols to prove their legitimacy and intent. This could be especially critical in high-stakes domains like finance and payments, where trust is paramount and failure can be costly.\n\u201cEvery crypto protocol needs to consider how this new technology will fit into their operations,\u201d Harrison Seletsky, director at SPACE ID, told PYMNTS in an interview. \u201cVerifiable on-chain identities will simplify AI-to-human and AI-to-AI interactions, making them safer by giving AI agents a humanly recognizable name, thereby cleaning out bots and bad actors from mispresenting themselves.\u201d\nImagine a world where every AI agent has a unique, human-readable identity: something like trader.bot.eth or governance.vote.ai. These identities would be more than just names; they would carry on-chain credentials, transaction histories and behavioral reputations that are cryptographically verified.\nIn a financial context, this could be transformative. Once an AI agent has a track record, a known creator and a wallet that\u2019s been through know your customer (KYC) or holds certain credentials, the calculus around trust and identity could change.\nSee also:\u00a0Stablecoin Sandwiches? Here\u2019s What CFOs Need to Know About Crypto\u00a0Jargon\nIntegrating AI Into Blockchain Ecosystems\nThe potential for AI and blockchain payments to merge into a seamless, efficient and secure ecosystem is becoming increasingly undeniable to its proponents. However, it will require more than just technological breakthroughs. Collaboration between the AI and blockchain communities, as well as regulators and traditional financial institutions, will be crucial.\nChainalysis\u00a0co-founder and CEO\u00a0Jonathan Levin told Karen Webster in an interview posted Monday (April 7) that the integration of AI tools offers the potential for enhancing crypto literacy, compliance and the fight against illicit financial activity, particularly as crypto becomes further integrated into mainstream financial landscapes.\nAfter all, PayPal announced Friday (April 4) that PayPal\u00a0and\u00a0Venmo\u00a0users can now buy, hold, sell and transfer the cryptocurrencies\u00a0Chainlink\u00a0(LINK) and\u00a0Solana\u00a0(SOL) directly\u00a0in their accounts; while Ripple\u00a0on Wednesday (April 2) integrated its U.S. dollar-denominated stablecoin,\u00a0Ripple USD\u00a0(RLUSD), into its cross-border payment solution,\u00a0Ripple Payments.\nThe marketplace is responding with secure solutions that balance AI and blockchain. On Tuesday (April 8), the blockchain-focused AI cybersecurity startup\u00a0Octane\u00a0emerged from stealth and announced it secured $6.75 million in a seed funding round. Octane uses machine learning to continuously analyze blockchain codebases, identify vulnerabilities and remediate them before they can be exploited.\nThe post Need for On-Chain Trust Grows as AI Agents Flood Crypto appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-08T17:11:54-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-08T17:11:54-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/cryptocurrency-AI-agents-cybersecurity-blockchain.jpg", "tags": [ "agentic AI", "AI", "AI agents", "Artificial Intelligence", "Blockchain", "Cybersecurity", "decentralized finance", "digital transformation", "News", "PYMNTS News", "Security", "Web3" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2542078", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/news/artificial-intelligence/2025/articul8-launches-domain-specific-genai-models-built-for-supply-chain-operations/", "title": "Articul8 Launches Domain-Specific GenAI Models Built for Supply Chain Operations", "content_html": "Articul8 has launched a family of GenAI models built to optimize supply chain, manufacturing\u00a0and industrial process operations.
\nThe new A8-SupplyChain models are domain-specific and have the deep contextual understanding needed to autonomously translate complex technical documentation into structured, actionable sequences, the company said in a Friday (April 4)\u00a0press release.
\n\u201cWe built A8-SupplyChain specifically to tackle the problems that general-purpose GenAI can\u2019t: delivering accurate, transparent and fully traceable reasoning through complex technical documentation and real-world workflows,\u201d Articul8 Founder and CEO\u00a0Arun Subramaniyan said in the release. \u201cThis is not just another model \u2014 it\u2019s a fully autonomous system built specifically for mission-critical environments.\u201d
\nThe\u00a0A8-SupplyChain models support complex enterprise production environments and platforms, including customers and partners, according to the release.
\nThey can use unstructured data, including PDFs, engineering diagrams, maintenance logs, quality systems and structured tables, the release said.
\nBecause they are trained on high-fidelity technical documentation, the models deliver AI-driven recommendations without extensive manual customization, per the release.
\n\u201cWith A8-SupplyChain, we\u2019re giving aerospace and defense leaders something new: a fully orchestrated system that doesn\u2019t just generate answers \u2014 it understands, adapts and drives outcomes,\u201d Subramaniyan said in the release. \u201cThis is the next leap forward in enterprise AI \u2014 intelligent systems that operate at scale, with context, precision and trust built\u00a0in.\u201d
\nEnterprises are turning to AI to automate not just repetitive tasks but also more complex processes like compliance monitoring, fraud detection and\u00a0supply chain optimization, PYMNTS reported in January.
\nArticul8 was established in January 2024 by\u00a0Intel and\u00a0DigitalBridge Group, which joined forces to create it as an independent company that provides enterprise customers with a secure and vertically optimized\u00a0GenAI software platform.
\nThe company\u2019s platform enables business to harness the power of AI while keeping their data secure; offers a turnkey GenAI software platform that delivers speed, security\u00a0and cost-efficiency to large enterprise customers; and supports a range of hybrid infrastructure alternatives, allowing customers to choose cloud, on-premises or hybrid deployment options.
\nToday, in addition to the new A8-SupplyChain, Articul8 offers domain-specific models for various industries, including energy and semiconductor, according to the Friday press release.
\nThe post Articul8 Launches Domain-Specific GenAI Models Built for Supply Chain Operations appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Articul8 has launched a family of GenAI models built to optimize supply chain, manufacturing\u00a0and industrial process operations.\nThe new A8-SupplyChain models are domain-specific and have the deep contextual understanding needed to autonomously translate complex technical documentation into structured, actionable sequences, the company said in a Friday (April 4)\u00a0press release.\n\u201cWe built A8-SupplyChain specifically to tackle the problems that general-purpose GenAI can\u2019t: delivering accurate, transparent and fully traceable reasoning through complex technical documentation and real-world workflows,\u201d Articul8 Founder and CEO\u00a0Arun Subramaniyan said in the release. \u201cThis is not just another model \u2014 it\u2019s a fully autonomous system built specifically for mission-critical environments.\u201d\nThe\u00a0A8-SupplyChain models support complex enterprise production environments and platforms, including customers and partners, according to the release.\nThey can use unstructured data, including PDFs, engineering diagrams, maintenance logs, quality systems and structured tables, the release said.\nBecause they are trained on high-fidelity technical documentation, the models deliver AI-driven recommendations without extensive manual customization, per the release.\n\u201cWith A8-SupplyChain, we\u2019re giving aerospace and defense leaders something new: a fully orchestrated system that doesn\u2019t just generate answers \u2014 it understands, adapts and drives outcomes,\u201d Subramaniyan said in the release. \u201cThis is the next leap forward in enterprise AI \u2014 intelligent systems that operate at scale, with context, precision and trust built\u00a0in.\u201d\nEnterprises are turning to AI to automate not just repetitive tasks but also more complex processes like compliance monitoring, fraud detection and\u00a0supply chain optimization, PYMNTS reported in January.\nArticul8 was established in January 2024 by\u00a0Intel and\u00a0DigitalBridge Group, which joined forces to create it as an independent company that provides enterprise customers with a secure and vertically optimized\u00a0GenAI software platform.\nThe company\u2019s platform enables business to harness the power of AI while keeping their data secure; offers a turnkey GenAI software platform that delivers speed, security\u00a0and cost-efficiency to large enterprise customers; and supports a range of hybrid infrastructure alternatives, allowing customers to choose cloud, on-premises or hybrid deployment options.\nToday, in addition to the new A8-SupplyChain, Articul8 offers domain-specific models for various industries, including energy and semiconductor, according to the Friday press release.\nThe post Articul8 Launches Domain-Specific GenAI Models Built for Supply Chain Operations appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-04T20:20:00-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-06T22:18:11-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Articul8-GenAI-supply-chain.jpg", "tags": [ "Articul8", "Artificial Intelligence", "B2B", "B2B Payments", "commercial payments", "GenAI", "generative AI", "News", "PYMNTS News", "Supply Chain", "supply chain management", "What's Hot", "What's Hot In B2B" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2541124", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/news/artificial-intelligence/2025/why-ai-fortune-favors-the-brave/", "title": "Why AI Fortune Favors the Brave", "content_html": "As payments innovation continues to develop, companies willing to take calculated risks and adopt an experimental mindset may be the ones leading the charge.
\nNowhere is this clearer than when it comes to artificial intelligence.
\n\u201cThis is an unprecedented time in history,\u201d WEX Chief Digital Officer Karen Stroup told PYMNTS during a discussion for the What\u2019s Next in Payments Series \u201cThe Rise of Digital Labor: Exploring Agentic AI in Banking and FinTech.\u201d \u201cThe technology is evolving every six months. In general, organizations change on five- or six-year cycles. And so, the technology is outpacing us.\u201d
\nWhile AI has been evolving for decades, the latest development \u2014 agentic AI \u2014 looks poised to shape the future of payments and financial services in new ways.
\n\u201cFor me, the way that I think about [agentic AI] simply is: It\u2019s going beyond automation and taking it to the next step,\u201d Stroup said. \u201cThere are two things that are key in agentic AI solutions. The first is the ability to reason and decision. That means that it can take in new information, it can learn, it can adapt, and most importantly, it can make a decision. And the second is it can take action.\u201d
\nThese capabilities are what make agentic AI \u201cgame changing,\u201d she said.
\nAs agentic AI solutions continue to evolve, Stroup said she envisions even further breakthroughs in efficiency and innovation. The rapid technological advancement is reminiscent of the early days of the internet \u2014 an era marked by curiosity, experimentation and opportunity.
\nFor its part, WEX, a leader in financial technology solutions, has approached agentic AI through careful experimentation. Stroup described the company\u2019s strategy as starting with strong data governance policies before diving into testing new technologies, and then iterating while experimenting.
\n\u201cBefore we started experimenting, before we really started getting any traction, we partnered with our legal team, our risk and compliance team, and external third parties and said, \u2018Hey, what would make this safe from a compliance perspective?\u2019 Because we\u2019re the stewards of our customers\u2019 data, we take that really, really seriously,\u201d Stroup said.
\nWEX\u2019s experimental approach includes exploring agentic AI in various domains, such as compliance and customer service. One example Stroup highlighted was the automation of payment processes for suppliers \u2014 a friction point previously managed by scripts.
\n\u201cWe said, \u2018Well, this is a really manual process, but we know that there\u2019s a good payoff,\u2019\u201d she recalled. \u201cWe\u2019re using AI to go in there, one, to onboard new suppliers quickly, which is great for everyone involved. And two, to use AI to do the routing instead of an older RPA process.\u201d
\nStill, implementing new technologies is not without cost, and businesses must weigh the benefits against the investment required. This is another area where experimentation can shine.
\n\u201cI think about it in terms of cost-benefit,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you\u2019re going to experiment with agentic AI or any type of AI solutions, you want to focus on two things. One is the areas where you\u2019re most likely to have success. And two, is there going to be a good return on that investment?\u201d
\nTrust, too, remains a foundational concern when deploying agentic AI in financial services. WEX\u2019s strategy involves starting small, testing in controlled environments, and continually verifying AI models against known benchmarks.
\n\u201cTrust is earned through transparency, traceability, explainability and through real-world validation,\u201d Stroup said.
\n\u201cIf you look at the assumptions, then you can trust the output,\u201d she added. \u201cAnd I think the same is true in building confidence in AI.\u201d
\nRead also: WEX Sees Embedded Experiences Impacting Supply Chains
\nStroup said she is excited about the potential of agentic AI to transform how WEX and other companies approach problem-solving. The technology is not just about automating processes but about empowering teams to work smarter and more effectively.
\n\u201cWEX\u2019s long history in deeply understanding our customers\u2019 problems and payments \u2014 and the expertise and everything around payments \u2014 enables us to experiment quickly,\u201d she said. \u201cWe can say, \u2018Hey, what if we X, Y and Z?\u2019 And then you can create an experiment designed for that.\u201d
\nFor WEX, embracing an experimental mindset to AI innovation is paying off. The company\u2019s innovative AI-driven solution for automating supplier payments has not only improved customer experience but also boosted revenue.
\n\u201cWhat is incredibly exciting to me and to WEX right now is we have new opportunities to solve problems in new ways,\u201d Stroup said. \u201cAnd the best way we\u2019re going to unlock that is by experimenting and learning through safe, secure, but frequent iterations to see what\u2019s possible.\u201d
\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.
\nThe post Why AI Fortune Favors the Brave appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "As payments innovation continues to develop, companies willing to take calculated risks and adopt an experimental mindset may be the ones leading the charge.\nNowhere is this clearer than when it comes to artificial intelligence.\n\u201cThis is an unprecedented time in history,\u201d WEX Chief Digital Officer Karen Stroup told PYMNTS during a discussion for the What\u2019s Next in Payments Series \u201cThe Rise of Digital Labor: Exploring Agentic AI in Banking and FinTech.\u201d \u201cThe technology is evolving every six months. In general, organizations change on five- or six-year cycles. And so, the technology is outpacing us.\u201d\nWhile AI has been evolving for decades, the latest development \u2014 agentic AI \u2014 looks poised to shape the future of payments and financial services in new ways.\n\u201cFor me, the way that I think about [agentic AI] simply is: It\u2019s going beyond automation and taking it to the next step,\u201d Stroup said. \u201cThere are two things that are key in agentic AI solutions. The first is the ability to reason and decision. That means that it can take in new information, it can learn, it can adapt, and most importantly, it can make a decision. And the second is it can take action.\u201d\nThese capabilities are what make agentic AI \u201cgame changing,\u201d she said.\nAs agentic AI solutions continue to evolve, Stroup said she envisions even further breakthroughs in efficiency and innovation. The rapid technological advancement is reminiscent of the early days of the internet \u2014 an era marked by curiosity, experimentation and opportunity.\nExperimentation Key to Enhancing Enterprise Workflows\nFor its part, WEX, a leader in financial technology solutions, has approached agentic AI through careful experimentation. Stroup described the company\u2019s strategy as starting with strong data governance policies before diving into testing new technologies, and then iterating while experimenting.\n\u201cBefore we started experimenting, before we really started getting any traction, we partnered with our legal team, our risk and compliance team, and external third parties and said, \u2018Hey, what would make this safe from a compliance perspective?\u2019 Because we\u2019re the stewards of our customers\u2019 data, we take that really, really seriously,\u201d Stroup said.\nWEX\u2019s experimental approach includes exploring agentic AI in various domains, such as compliance and customer service. One example Stroup highlighted was the automation of payment processes for suppliers \u2014 a friction point previously managed by scripts.\n\u201cWe said, \u2018Well, this is a really manual process, but we know that there\u2019s a good payoff,\u2019\u201d she recalled. \u201cWe\u2019re using AI to go in there, one, to onboard new suppliers quickly, which is great for everyone involved. And two, to use AI to do the routing instead of an older RPA process.\u201d\nStill, implementing new technologies is not without cost, and businesses must weigh the benefits against the investment required. This is another area where experimentation can shine.\n\u201cI think about it in terms of cost-benefit,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you\u2019re going to experiment with agentic AI or any type of AI solutions, you want to focus on two things. One is the areas where you\u2019re most likely to have success. And two, is there going to be a good return on that investment?\u201d\nTrust, too, remains a foundational concern when deploying agentic AI in financial services. WEX\u2019s strategy involves starting small, testing in controlled environments, and continually verifying AI models against known benchmarks.\n\u201cTrust is earned through transparency, traceability, explainability and through real-world validation,\u201d Stroup said.\n\u201cIf you look at the assumptions, then you can trust the output,\u201d she added. \u201cAnd I think the same is true in building confidence in AI.\u201d\nRead also: WEX Sees Embedded Experiences Impacting Supply Chains\nA New Era of Problem-Solving\nStroup said she is excited about the potential of agentic AI to transform how WEX and other companies approach problem-solving. The technology is not just about automating processes but about empowering teams to work smarter and more effectively.\n\u201cWEX\u2019s long history in deeply understanding our customers\u2019 problems and payments \u2014 and the expertise and everything around payments \u2014 enables us to experiment quickly,\u201d she said. \u201cWe can say, \u2018Hey, what if we X, Y and Z?\u2019 And then you can create an experiment designed for that.\u201d\nFor WEX, embracing an experimental mindset to AI innovation is paying off. The company\u2019s innovative AI-driven solution for automating supplier payments has not only improved customer experience but also boosted revenue.\n\u201cWhat is incredibly exciting to me and to WEX right now is we have new opportunities to solve problems in new ways,\u201d Stroup said. \u201cAnd the best way we\u2019re going to unlock that is by experimenting and learning through safe, secure, but frequent iterations to see what\u2019s possible.\u201d\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.\nThe post Why AI Fortune Favors the Brave appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-04T04:00:47-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-06T22:16:34-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/WEX-agentic-ai.jpg", "tags": [ "AI agents", "Artificial Intelligence", "automation", "B2B", "B2B Payments", "commercial payments", "GenAI", "Innovation", "Karen Stroup", "Main Feature", "News", "PYMNTS News", "pymnts tv", "Revenue", "supplier payments", "Technology", "video", "WEX", "WhatsNextInPaymentsSeries", "What\u2019s Next in Payments: The Rise of Digital Labor 2025" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2541490", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/news/artificial-intelligence/2025/amazon-tests-agentic-ai-helps-customers-buy-from-other-sites/", "title": "Amazon Tests Agentic AI That Helps Customers Buy From Other Sites", "content_html": "Amazon is testing a feature in its Amazon Shopping app that uses agentic AI to help customers buy items from other brands while remaining within Amazon\u2019s app.
\nThe feature that\u2019s in beta is called Buy for Me. It is live in the Amazon Shopping app for a subset of the company\u2019s customers in the United States and with a limited number of brand stores and products, Amazon said in a Thursday (April 3) press release.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re always working to invent new ways to make shopping even more convenient, and we\u2019ve created Buy for Me to help customers quickly and easily find and buy products from other brand stores if we don\u2019t currently sell those items in our store,\u201d Oliver Messenger, shopping director at Amazon, said in the release.
\nFor the other brands from which the AI agent can buy, the feature offers \u201cincreased exposure and seamless conversion,\u201d Messenger said.
\nBuy for Me is integrated into Amazon\u2019s shopping experience so that when customers search for branded items, they may see, along with results from Amazon and its third-party sellers, additional products from other stores in search results labeled \u201cShop brand sites directly,\u201d according to the release.
\nCustomers can link to those sites directly or, if they see a link to Buy for Me, select that option, learn about the product, and then ask Amazon to use its agentic AI capabilities to buy it for them, the release said.
\nIf they ask Buy for Me to make the purchase, customers will receive an order confirmation email from the brand store and will be able to track their orders in the Amazon Shopping app, per the release.
\n\u201cEarning trust is a cornerstone for the success of AI agents, and we\u2019ve designed this experience to operate transparently in its interactions with customers and brand stores,\u201d the release said. \u201cThe customer is in control of the AI agent acting on their behalf, and brands have the choice if they want to participate and benefit from the increased brand visibility, customer engagement and sales.\u201d
\nAmazon said in February that it was testing the \u201cShop brand sites directly\u201d feature that enables users of the Amazon Shopping app to find select products from other sites and go there to purchase them.
\nWith that feature, when customers click on the link to one of those products, they receive a notification that they are leaving Amazon, go to the brand\u2019s website and can then make purchases directly from that brand.
\nPYMNTS reported in December that AI agents will transform how consumers shop online.
\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.
\nThe post Amazon Tests Agentic AI That Helps Customers Buy From Other Sites appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Amazon is testing a feature in its Amazon Shopping app that uses agentic AI to help customers buy items from other brands while remaining within Amazon\u2019s app.\nThe feature that\u2019s in beta is called Buy for Me. It is live in the Amazon Shopping app for a subset of the company\u2019s customers in the United States and with a limited number of brand stores and products, Amazon said in a Thursday (April 3) press release.\n\u201cWe\u2019re always working to invent new ways to make shopping even more convenient, and we\u2019ve created Buy for Me to help customers quickly and easily find and buy products from other brand stores if we don\u2019t currently sell those items in our store,\u201d Oliver Messenger, shopping director at Amazon, said in the release.\nFor the other brands from which the AI agent can buy, the feature offers \u201cincreased exposure and seamless conversion,\u201d Messenger said.\nBuy for Me is integrated into Amazon\u2019s shopping experience so that when customers search for branded items, they may see, along with results from Amazon and its third-party sellers, additional products from other stores in search results labeled \u201cShop brand sites directly,\u201d according to the release.\nCustomers can link to those sites directly or, if they see a link to Buy for Me, select that option, learn about the product, and then ask Amazon to use its agentic AI capabilities to buy it for them, the release said.\nIf they ask Buy for Me to make the purchase, customers will receive an order confirmation email from the brand store and will be able to track their orders in the Amazon Shopping app, per the release.\n\u201cEarning trust is a cornerstone for the success of AI agents, and we\u2019ve designed this experience to operate transparently in its interactions with customers and brand stores,\u201d the release said. \u201cThe customer is in control of the AI agent acting on their behalf, and brands have the choice if they want to participate and benefit from the increased brand visibility, customer engagement and sales.\u201d\nAmazon said in February that it was testing the \u201cShop brand sites directly\u201d feature that enables users of the Amazon Shopping app to find select products from other sites and go there to purchase them.\nWith that feature, when customers click on the link to one of those products, they receive a notification that they are leaving Amazon, go to the brand\u2019s website and can then make purchases directly from that brand.\nPYMNTS reported in December that AI agents will transform how consumers shop online.\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.\nThe post Amazon Tests Agentic AI That Helps Customers Buy From Other Sites appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-03T18:02:51-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-03T18:02:51-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Amazon-AI-Buy-for-Me.png", "tags": [ "AI agents", "Amazon", "Artificial Intelligence", "ecommerce", "GenAI", "Innovation", "Mobile Applications", "News", "PYMNTS News", "Retail", "Technology", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2540523", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/news/artificial-intelligence/2025/travelers-reliance-on-ai-prompts-google-to-enhance-search-maps-and-tools/", "title": "Travelers\u2019 Reliance on AI Prompts Google to Enhance Search, Maps and Tools", "content_html": "Starting this week, Google is rolling out a slew of new travel features across its product line to keep users from defaulting to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots to help with vacation planning as competition intensifies.
\nGoogle has added new features for vacation planning to Search, Maps, Lens and Gemini, according to a Thursday (March 27) company blog post. The features including getting new ideas for trips with a personal AI assistant, tracking prices of hotels and automatically saving locations the user wants to visit.
\n\u201cTravel is a key vertical for Google, as it drives high-intent searches across hotels, restaurants, flights, attractions and local experiences \u2014 categories with strong monetization,\u201d wrote Justin Post, an analyst for Bank of America Global Research, in a research note sent to clients.
\nThe new Google features \u201cwill expand the volume and diversity of search queries, allowing Google to deliver more relevant results and target more high-value commercial content,\u201d Post said.
\n\u201cWe think the integrations also enhance Google\u2019s ability to compete with emerging\u00a0AI search platforms, such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and others, which have been improving travel planning capabilities,\u201d the analyst said.
\nGoogle\u2019s travel enhancements come as users increasingly turn to AI assistants to help them with vacation plans. According to a PYMNTS Intelligence report, \u201cAt Your Service: Generative AI Arrives in Travel and Hospitality,\u201d 52% of respondents surveyed expect AI planning assistance.
\nAI startup Perplexity is taking it a step further by announcing partnerships with Tripadvisor and Selfbook. Travelers can now book hotels within Perplexity, wrote Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas in a LinkedIn post. Srinivas also said the company will soon announce details on discounts on hotel bookings offered within Perplexity\u2019s AI chatbot.
\nThe new capability is part of Perplexity\u2019s new \u201canswer modes\u201d feature to enhance search for travel, shopping, places, images, videos and jobs, Srinivas said.
\n\u201cGoing beyond answering a wall of text\u201d by adding images, videos and enabling financial transactions \u201cis a necessary step for being a daily-usage product and taking on Google,\u201d Srinivas said.
\nTravel companies themselves are using GenAI to help travelers with their vacation planning, further minimizing the need for Google searches. For example, Booking.com is using OpenAI\u2019s AI models for its own solutions.
\nRead more: Seamless Journeys: AI\u2019s Rising Role in Coordinating Consumer Travel
\nGoogle is fighting back with enhancements to its travel features.
\n\u201cThe new AI features have the potential to drive incremental queries on Google\u2019s platform by engaging users earlier in the decision-making process,\u201d BofA analyst Post said. \u201cRather than transactional keywords like \u2019cheap flights to Paris,\u2019 users can potentially now ask broader questions such as \u2019suggest scenic road trip routes in California.\u2019\u201d
\nStarting this week, Google is rolling out the following travel features:
\nTravelers can get trip ideas for more cities, not just main metropolitan areas like New York or Rome. Users can also get trip information for specific regions or entire countries.
\nFor example, they can ask AI to \u201ccreate an itinerary for Costa Rica with a focus on nature.\u201d They will get photos and reviews from other users and see locations on a map. Users can export the information and share them through Gmail or Google Docs \u2014 or save them as a list on Google Maps for on-the-go access.
\nGoogle Flights is a popular way to find and track flights. Now, Google is bringing the same functionality to hotel prices for specific dates and cities. When searching for hotels, a price-tracking toggle will show up for users to enable. Google will send an email if prices drop significantly.
\nUsers planning travel often take screenshots of places they\u2019d like to visit, whether through social media, news articles or travel blogs. Google Maps can automatically identify these places and organizes them in a list. Places users saved will show up on Google Maps.
\nGoogle is now offering users free use of \u201cGems,\u201d a tool for creating their personal AI expert. For example, they can create their custom trip planner AI assistant, then ask it to help them pick a new vacation destination, find things to do and even what to pack for the trip.
\nThrough the Google app, Google Lens lets travelers identify things of interest around them, such as ornately carved wooden doors in Florence, Italy. It can also be used to translate signs, menus, flyers and other text in another language. Lens is planning to add capabilities in Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish.
\nThe post Travelers\u2019 Reliance on AI Prompts Google to Enhance Search, Maps and Tools appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Starting this week, Google is rolling out a slew of new travel features across its product line to keep users from defaulting to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots to help with vacation planning as competition intensifies.\nGoogle has added new features for vacation planning to Search, Maps, Lens and Gemini, according to a Thursday (March 27) company blog post. The features including getting new ideas for trips with a personal AI assistant, tracking prices of hotels and automatically saving locations the user wants to visit.\n\u201cTravel is a key vertical for Google, as it drives high-intent searches across hotels, restaurants, flights, attractions and local experiences \u2014 categories with strong monetization,\u201d wrote Justin Post, an analyst for Bank of America Global Research, in a research note sent to clients.\nThe new Google features \u201cwill expand the volume and diversity of search queries, allowing Google to deliver more relevant results and target more high-value commercial content,\u201d Post said.\n\u201cWe think the integrations also enhance Google\u2019s ability to compete with emerging\u00a0AI search platforms, such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and others, which have been improving travel planning capabilities,\u201d the analyst said.\nGoogle\u2019s travel enhancements come as users increasingly turn to AI assistants to help them with vacation plans. According to a PYMNTS Intelligence report, \u201cAt Your Service: Generative AI Arrives in Travel and Hospitality,\u201d 52% of respondents surveyed expect AI planning assistance.\nAI startup Perplexity is taking it a step further by announcing partnerships with Tripadvisor and Selfbook. Travelers can now book hotels within Perplexity, wrote Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas in a LinkedIn post. Srinivas also said the company will soon announce details on discounts on hotel bookings offered within Perplexity\u2019s AI chatbot.\nThe new capability is part of Perplexity\u2019s new \u201canswer modes\u201d feature to enhance search for travel, shopping, places, images, videos and jobs, Srinivas said.\n\u201cGoing beyond answering a wall of text\u201d by adding images, videos and enabling financial transactions \u201cis a necessary step for being a daily-usage product and taking on Google,\u201d Srinivas said.\nTravel companies themselves are using GenAI to help travelers with their vacation planning, further minimizing the need for Google searches. For example, Booking.com is using OpenAI\u2019s AI models for its own solutions.\nRead more: Seamless Journeys: AI\u2019s Rising Role in Coordinating Consumer Travel\nGoogle Fights Back With New Travel Features\nGoogle is fighting back with enhancements to its travel features.\n\u201cThe new AI features have the potential to drive incremental queries on Google\u2019s platform by engaging users earlier in the decision-making process,\u201d BofA analyst Post said. \u201cRather than transactional keywords like \u2019cheap flights to Paris,\u2019 users can potentially now ask broader questions such as \u2019suggest scenic road trip routes in California.\u2019\u201d\nStarting this week, Google is rolling out the following travel features:\n\nAI Overviews in search is adding more cities and countries.\n\nTravelers can get trip ideas for more cities, not just main metropolitan areas like New York or Rome. Users can also get trip information for specific regions or entire countries.\nFor example, they can ask AI to \u201ccreate an itinerary for Costa Rica with a focus on nature.\u201d They will get photos and reviews from other users and see locations on a map. Users can export the information and share them through Gmail or Google Docs \u2014 or save them as a list on Google Maps for on-the-go access.\n\nTravelers can now track hotel prices.\n\nGoogle Flights is a popular way to find and track flights. Now, Google is bringing the same functionality to hotel prices for specific dates and cities. When searching for hotels, a price-tracking toggle will show up for users to enable. Google will send an email if prices drop significantly.\n\nGoogle Maps automatically identifies places that interest users.\n\nUsers planning travel often take screenshots of places they\u2019d like to visit, whether through social media, news articles or travel blogs. Google Maps can automatically identify these places and organizes them in a list. Places users saved will show up on Google Maps.\n\nGemini now lets users create their own AI expert for free.\n\nGoogle is now offering users free use of \u201cGems,\u201d a tool for creating their personal AI expert. For example, they can create their custom trip planner AI assistant, then ask it to help them pick a new vacation destination, find things to do and even what to pack for the trip.\n\nGoogle Lens is adding more languages.\n\nThrough the Google app, Google Lens lets travelers identify things of interest around them, such as ornately carved wooden doors in Florence, Italy. It can also be used to translate signs, menus, flyers and other text in another language. Lens is planning to add capabilities in Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish.\nThe post Travelers\u2019 Reliance on AI Prompts Google to Enhance Search, Maps and Tools appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-02T14:04:44-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-02T14:04:44-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Google-Perplexity-Travel-AI-artificial-intelligence.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "Artificial Intelligence", "Booking.com", "GenAI", "generative AI", "Google", "News", "partnerships", "Perplexity", "PYMNTS News", "Selfbook", "Tourism", "transportation", "travel", "TripAdvisor" ] } ] }