NatWest deploys Cleareye.ai to automate trade finance checks

NatWest is deploying Cleareye.ai software across its trade finance operations to automate document checks, verify compliance with International Chamber of Commerce rules and run trade‑based money‑laundering (TBML) screening, the bank said on 27 May 2026.

The bank expects the software to replace many manual checks that have traditionally been required in trade finance. Trade finance transactions commonly involve large, cross‑border payments, multiple parties and extensive paperwork. NatWest intends to use Cleareye.ai to validate complex documents automatically and to flag transactions that may present TBML or other financial crime risks.

Michael Gilham, trade product lead, commercial and institutional at NatWest, in a statement: “The technology will help our business customers trade in foreign markets with greater speed and certainty. It will also strengthen protection against fraud and financial crime by using innovative technology to enable us to provide better service to our customers.”

NatWest described the work with Cleareye.ai as part of its programme to bolster operational resilience, adopt advanced technologies and meet regulatory requirements in global trade. The bank said 2025 saw AI deployed across the organisation: software engineers produced about 35% of code using AI development tools, all 60,000 staff were given access to AI productivity software, and the technology saved thousands of human hours. NatWest began a major collaboration with OpenAI in 2025.

Cleareye.ai has been adopted by other UK banks. Lloyds Bank signed a deal with the firm in 2024 to automate checks of digital and paper trade documentation.

Industry surveys and research point to wider changes in back‑office work from AI adoption. A 2025 survey by a major banking group found 59% of respondents reported AI-driven productivity gains in the prior 12 months, up from 32% a year earlier. The survey reported that 21% of firms see AI as directly driving business growth, and 33% reported improved customer experience through AI.

Research by Zopa and Juniper Research estimates generative AI could save 187 million labour hours and potentially displace about 27,000 jobs by 2030, mainly in back‑office roles. Separately, Commerzbank announced plans to cut around 3,000 roles after increasing AI investment to €600m over four years, projecting additional annual value from 2030.

NatWest did not publish a timetable for full deployment of Cleareye.ai or the number of staff affected. Financial institutions using similar document‑automation tools report shorter processing times and more consistent application of rules, while regulators continue to scrutinise banks’ anti‑money‑laundering controls. Trade finance automation applies machine learning to complex documents and rulebooks rather than to customer‑facing chat functions.