AI agents, new ally for CFOs to bolster finance automation: Xalts COO

AI agents, COO noted, are emerging as a new layer of infrastructure for modern finance teams - not as futuristic tools, but as operational assistants already delivering tangible impact

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As Indian companies evolve into global entities with increasingly complex finance operations, AI-powered intelligent solutions are driving measurable outcomes, turbo-charging speed, insights and efficiency that CFOs urgently need, says Supreet Kaur, chief operating officer at Singapore-based fintech platform Xalts.

The platform has assisted clients in shortening trade finance cycles by as much as 10 days, and providing headcount efficiency of 30-40 per cent, all without replacing core systems, she told PTI.

In her view, the next phase of finance transformation won't be driven by generic automation but by vertical AI agent platforms that solve real operational challenges. It will free CFOs to focus on decision-making, not data wrangling, she said.

Given the multi-jurisdictional mandate of corporate finance teams in today's globalised world, handling of intricate banking relationships, payments, liquidity, compliances, and many other complex finance and treasury tasks can no longer rely on siloed systems or manual workflows. These merely stitch together emails, spreadsheets, ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning), tax systems, or standalone tools, Supreet Kaur said.

AI agents, she noted, are emerging as a new layer of infrastructure for modern finance teams - not as futuristic tools, but as operational assistants already delivering tangible impact. Xalts offers a vertical AI agents platform (by the same name) purpose-built for finance and treasury teams.

Accel and Citibank-backed Xalts' platform enables companies to deploy AI agents that automate cumbersome, fragmented workflows without the need to tear apart or overhaul existing systems.

"One of the biggest blockers for finance transformation is the fear of long IT projects. At Xalts, we've designed the entire implementation to be light-touch and fast," the COO said, adding that most of Xalts' deployments go live in a matter of weeks.

As Indian enterprises expand globally and financial operations grow in complexity, CFOs are under increasing pressure to manage liquidity, streamline processes, and drive efficiency across entities, jurisdictions, and banking relationships, the senior executive said.

Today, Xalts AI agents are already driving measurable business impact for global treasurers.

"Our customers are using them to gain greater control, faster execution, and better visibility across critical workflows in their businesses," she said.

Unlike traditional automation tools that often require system replacements or extensive custom integrations, Xalts works alongside existing ERP systems, spreadsheets and communication tools to drive end-to-end processes.

Its AI agents are built to execute company-specific processes, such as internal controls, approval hierarchies, and data flows, enabling faster implementation without extensive IT involvement.

With its proprietary Omni Connect Protocol, Xalts connects directly with banking partners in real time, automating everything from payments and liquidity reporting to complex trade finance instructions.

Finance teams are deploying Xalts AI agents in areas that are high-effort, high-volume, and often underserved by traditional tools, including trade finance operations, cross-border payments, and reporting, according to Supreet Kaur.

By chaining AI agents, they're moving beyond task-level automation and orchestrating end-to-end execution workflows. In trade finance, AI agents can handle end-to-end workflows for preparing documents, coordinating with banks, handling amendments, and tracking financing timelines.

In areas like reporting, AI agents can consolidate data across systems and generate reports for tax, internal stakeholders, or regulatory purposes.

According to Supreet Kaur, this shift marks the beginning of a new era in finance operations.

Looking ahead, she said intelligent agents will play a central role as finance leaders take on broader mandates. These will include orchestrating transactions, handling compliance, surfacing exceptions, and delivering real-time visibility across the enterprise.

"We're moving toward a world where AI agents will be a core part of how finance teams operate - not as a bolt-on tool, but as embedded infrastructure. The volume of data, the complexity of workflows, and the speed at which businesses run today simply can't be handled through manual processes or disconnected systems anymore," she asserted.