BBVA: How AI Makes Payments Invisible

BBVA’s Carmela Gómez Castelao explored one of the most transformative opportunities in finance today: the fusion of AI and personalisation. This combination, she explained, is redefining how customers experience payments — shifting interactions from reactive tasks to intelligent, proactive moments.

AI enables banks to anticipate needs before customers even think about them. Instead of waiting for someone to log in and pay a recurring bill, AI can propose a one-click predictive payment at exactly the right time, even delivered directly through email. The experience becomes seamless: information and action presented together, removing friction from everyday financial tasks.

Personalisation also reshapes checkout experiences. If a customer consistently uses Apple Pay, there’s no reason to show every method on the screen — AI simply prioritises the preferred choice. If the customer occasionally uses BNPL, the system can intelligently suggest it for higher-value purchases. In many cases, the payment method feels like it selects itself.

Gómez highlighted how AI can transform loyalty into something truly valuable. Instead of generic points, AI can tailor rewards to real habits — such as offering a personalised “buy five, get the sixth free” latte reward at checkout. It turns payments into moments of value, not cost.

However, personalisation only works if customers trust the system. AI plays a critical role here too. Modern fraud engines can analyse millions of data points in milliseconds, blocking suspicious behaviour instantly and notifying the customer right away. After each purchase, AI can generate intelligent receipts, categorise spending, update loyalty balances, or provide personalised insights — from budgeting guidance to comparisons with similar customer profiles.

Looking forward, Gómez believes AI will make payments fully invisible. Connected cars will pay for parking automatically. Coffee machines will reorder capsules on behalf of the customer. Payments will happen seamlessly in the background, with AI routing transactions through the most efficient option — whether account-to-account, card, or BNPL — based on the customer’s preferences and financial situation.

The most exciting part, she said, is the data: what customers buy, when, how often, where, and in what context. Analysing this responsibly allows banks to create new value propositions tailored to each individual. Heavy travellers could receive international rewards, no-FX-fee options, or multi-currency benefits. Frequent e-commerce buyers could enjoy instant one-click authorisation tailored to their habits.

For BBVA, the future of payments lies in bringing together AI + embedded finance to craft experiences that are not just fast and secure, but personal, effortless, and invisible.

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