AI transforming and disrupting customs processes

The growing complexity of global trade is driving demand for AI-enabled solutions, according to the 2025 World Trade Report. It identifies two key trends. “First, the use of trade remedies and targeted tariffs is expanding, with duties increasingly applied in layered and often unpredictable ways. “Second, customs authorities are stepping up enforcement through more frequent audits and post-clearance reviews, resulting in higher retroactive duty collections and greater compliance risks.” This is a reality in South Africa. “In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation have revolutionised the management of tax compliance, with Sars leading the charge through innovative initiatives,” writes Mark Silberman of the Tax Faculty. “From enhanced data collection and integration to the modernisation of tax systems, the tax environment is evolving rapidly.” Adapting to these changes is “not just advisable – it is essential”, he says. Adding to these pressures, the report states that “businesses are facing challenges such as tariff volatility, changing trade sanctions, compliance with environmental and social regulations, and complex rules of origin and product classifications”. AI is helping clearing and forwarding agents and their clients to navigate the storms. “In this context, AI and machine learning are emerging as tools that can help firms to better anticipate, understand and manage trade-related risks. “These technologies are being used to improve visibility, enhance compliance and support strategic decision- making in global supply chains.” There is a plus. World Trade Organization (WTO) simulations predict that AI-driven trade cost reductions and productivity gains could generate substantial increases in global trade and real income. However, risks associated with AI include job displacement, inaccurate information and negative environmental impacts. Currently, access to AI is not diffused uniformly across economies, and the ability to develop AI is concentrated in a few economies and firms. Trade can play a vital role in ensuring broad access to AI-enabling goods and services, according to the WTO. Clearing agents and shippers are exploring AI-powered compliance tools that analyse trade documentation at early stages, such as during purchase order creation, to flag possible regulatory issues. In manufacturing, product- level tariff modelling has revealed potential exposure over short timeframes. In retail, AI-supported scenario planning has helped firms to diversify suppliers and adjust sourcing calendars to align with changing tariff regimes, according to Lars Karlsson, Maersk global head of trade and customs consulting. AI is helping smaller companies to be more competitive. Research conducted by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and WTO in March 2025 found that over 70% of companies in the survey believed AI could lead to cost savings, with micro, small and medium-sized enterprises more optimistic than larger firms. “This greater optimism may reflect the relatively larger gains that smaller firms expect to achieve from AI, given their limited resources to manage trade-related costs,” according to the WTO. ER