Your research with 550 senior UK and European business buyers found that AI is now widely used in B2B payments. Where is it being implemented, why, and are there any risks here?
“What we’re seeing is that AI adoption in B2B payments is less about experimentation and more about removing friction from complex, high‑volume processes that were historically manual. We see AI currently mostly used on the AP side, not so much on the AR side yet.
Today, AI is most commonly applied in three areas: invoice processing and data extraction; payment routing; and reconciliation. The undervalued opportunity is still on the AR side. For exception handling, dispute management and in credit and risk decisioning. These are all pain points where accuracy, speed and scale really matter. Particularly in industries with high invoice volumes or complex payment terms.
The business driver is clear… Suppliers want faster time to cash. Buyers want fewer errors and disputes. And finance teams want better cash predictability.
That said, the risk isn’t the technology itself – it’s how it’s governed. In B2B, when AI decisions sit close to credit, compliance and customer relationships; black‑box models without explainability, or automation without appropriate guardrails, can introduce operational and regulatory risk. The most effective applications we see are those where AI augments human decision‑making. Rather than replacing it entirely, there is clear auditability and accountability built in.
In other words, AI is already delivering tangible value in B2B payments, but the winners will be those who treat it as an enterprise capability, not just a standalone feature.”
Looking wider – the research also examined friction within the payments process. What were the most important areas that suppliers can leverage to their competitive advantage?
“One of the clearest signals from the research is that payment experience has become inseparable from the overall customer experience and the commercial relationship.
The biggest opportunities sit at the intersection of flexibility and predictability. Suppliers that make it easy for buyers to pay – through compliant and accurate invoicing, aligned payment terms, and transparency throughout the lifecycle – are easier to do business with as they reduce disputes and accelerate cash flow. Hence, ultimately they will increase customer loyalty.
What’s interesting is that many of these levers are not new, but they are finally being treated as strategic. Invoice accuracy, payment visibility, dispute resolution, and alignment between sales and finance are no longer just operational hygiene; they are differentiators. In competitive markets, the ability to offer consistent terms across regions, customized invoicing or reporting or to accommodate how buyers want to pay without creating internal complexity, is increasingly decisive.
From an O2C perspective, friction often appears at handovers: from order to invoice, from invoice to payment, and from payment to reconciliation. Suppliers that invest in smoothing those transitions – rather than optimising individual steps in isolation – are better positioned to compete on experience without eroding margin.”
Your report shows 82% of buyers value invoice customisation. Why has something traditionally seen as back-office admin become such a decisive competitive factor?
“Because invoices are no longer just accounting documents – they’re a key part of the buyer experience.
In B2B, invoices often trigger downstream processes on the buyer side: approval workflows, ERP/PO matching, compliance checks, and even cash forecasting. When invoices don’t align with a buyer’s internal requirements – whether that’s formatting, data fields or references – friction is inevitable. That friction shows up as delayed payments, disputes, and strained relationships.
What the 82% figure really tells us is that buyers are under pressure themselves. Finance teams are expected to do more with less, manage risk more actively, and support the wider business – all while maintaining control. Invoice customisation helps them do that.
For suppliers, this is a powerful insight. Meeting buyers where they are, instead of forcing one‑size‑fits‑all processes, has moved from ‘nice to have’ to a strategic necessity. It’s also a clear example of how O2C capabilities directly support revenue protection and growth – not just operational efficiency.”
What was the regional difference in your data that surprised you the most?
“What stood out most was not just what differs by region, but why.
Across Europe, Pay by Invoice (or ‘Net Terms’) remains dominant, but the expectations around speed, visibility and automation vary significantly. In some markets, buyers are primarily focused on control and compliance; in others, on efficiency and working capital optimisation. Regulatory maturity, banking infrastructure and ERP penetration all play a role in shaping those expectations.
What surprised me was how consistently these regional nuances translate into different definitions of ‘good experience’. The markets that move fastest are not necessarily those with the most advanced technology, but those where finance, procurement and payments strategies are more closely aligned.
For suppliers operating pan‑European or globally, this reinforces the importance of flexibility. A single market‑specific approach rarely scales. The winning strategies are built around a common O2C backbone, with local adaptability layered on top.”
Pay by Invoice remains dominant in Europe, but you also highlight digital wallets and even stablecoins. How do you see the payment mix evolving over the next 3-5 years?
“Pay by Invoice will remain the backbone of B2B payments in Europe for the foreseeable future. And that’s not a sign of stagnation, but of trust in a model that supports credit, risk management and commercial flexibility at scale.
Where we will see change is behind the scenes. Greater digitisation, faster settlement, and better integration between invoicing, payments and reconciliation will progressively modernise how Pay by Invoice operates.
When it comes to alternative instruments like stablecoins, the conversation is still early, but it’s becoming more serious. Their potential value lies in settlement efficiency and cross‑border use cases, rather than replacing core commercial constructs like trade credit. Whether they become relevant at scale will depend on regulation, risk frameworks and clear economic benefit for both sides of the transaction.
What’s important is that B2B payment evolution will be pragmatic, not disruptive for its own sake. Buyers and suppliers will adopt new rails where they reduce friction or risk – not because they’re new, but because they meaningfully improve the O2C lifecycle.
Learn more at trevipay.com
- Artificial Intelligence in FinTech
- Digital Payments
