The role of AI and emerging technologies in global trade compliance

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) in global trade compliance is evolving rapidly, notably in classification, with the potential to unlock productivity, expand expertise and improve speed, reliability and accuracy. Due to its potential, AI is met with high expectations and sometimes apprehension, as there is a lot of uncertainty about what constitutes AI and how it will affect global trade stakeholders. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how AI will likely affect customs agencies, importers/exporters, service providers and compliance managers. By using examples and case studies, the paper explains: 1) the role of AI expert systems (ES) that use machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP); 2) AI’s potential and limitations in sourcing compliance knowledge for streamlining and automating global trade compliance activities; 3) the importance of upskilling compliance managers and compliance teams to successfully deploy AI, mitigate risks and better manage the global trade compliance process; and 4) our six steps for successfully implementing AI in your global trade compliance department. You will learn how AI can be valuable in performing your job and meeting your goals, if it is kept within its range of capabilities. By such measures, you will be able to obtain the advantages presented by the use of AI, while mitigating its very present risks, some of which are known and many of which are unknown.