[비즈한국] The financial industry has entered a massive wave of Artificial Intelligence Transformation (AX). Implementing AI in core financial areas—such as data analysis, risk management, and asset management—has emerged not as an option, but as a survival imperative. With the rapid advancement of generative AI technology and government policy support, financial companies are moving beyond simple digital transformation (DX) to reshape their business processes, organizational structures, and service strategies around AI. This article examines the trends in financial AI transformation and explores the future direction of the industry through sector-specific strategies and use cases.
The credit card industry was among the first in the financial sector to rapidly adopt AI technology. Companies utilize data to analyze user spending history and consumption patterns to recommend products, or provide AI-powered consulting services. Major credit card companies are restructuring into AI-based financial firms by forming dedicated AI departments and developing their own AI models and platforms.
In the global payment market, AI agent payment technology, where AI shops and completes transactions on behalf of users, is gaining traction. In particular, the credit card and payment industry is growing increasingly anxious as forecasts suggest AI agents may bypass traditional payment structures in favor of stablecoin-based transactions to avoid credit card fee inefficiencies. This is why credit card companies are currently exploring the internalization of AI technology and the integration of stablecoins.
Some companies have already achieved results by commercializing AI. After declaring its transition to 'Digital Hyundai Card' in 2015, Hyundai Card invested 1 trillion won into AI and data science. As a result, it developed its proprietary AI platform, 'Universe,' and successfully sold it to Japan's credit card company SMCC in October 2024.
Universe is a hyper-personalized AI platform based on a 'tag' system that structures data. It enables precise goal setting by predicting individual behaviors, preferences, and states; because it is industry-agnostic, it can be utilized outside the financial sector as well. Hyundai Card defined the export of Universe as “the first case of a transformation from a financial company to a tech firm,” signaling its full-scale entry into AI-based tech business beyond traditional finance.
Above all, the commitment of Hyundai Card Vice Chairman Chung Tae-young toward strengthening AI capabilities is significant. Since February, Hyundai Card has conducted Large Language Model (LLM) hands-on training for leadership-level employees, including executives, department heads, and team leaders, with Vice Chairman Chung participating personally. He has also expressed goals to enhance Universe's LLM and build and utilize an LLM-based AI agent by 2027.
Samsung Card029780 is another early adopter that established a dedicated AI organization and utilized AI technology. It launched the AI chatbot 'SAM' in March 2019, and in 2020, it became the first in the industry to establish a real-time, data-driven AI marketing system, launching an 'AI Curation' service that provides personalized services to customers.
Recently, as Samsung Card focuses on strengthening its financial platform 'Monimo,' it has set a plan to advance the platform by integrating AI and stablecoin technologies. It is reported that Samsung Card is also considering applying Samsung Electronics'005930 generative AI, 'Gauss,' to customer-facing services in addition to internal tasks.
BC Card is seeking future growth engines with its proprietary AI model 'BCGPT' and internal AI agent 'MoAI.' Initially used for internal support tasks like document creation, merchant screening, and customer complaint response, BC Card is now expanding these into solutions for businesses and consumers. Late last year, it signed a business agreement with the Korea Management Association (KMA) to discover new business opportunities. For consumer services, it is currently being used to recommend restaurants, products, and content.
BC Card has also been active in securing designations for innovative financial services using generative AI. In 2025, it was designated for 'Generative AI-based Optical Character Recognition (OCR)' and 'Consumer-friendly Inference Data Generation Service.' The generative AI-based OCR service automatically extracts text from member companies' credit card product guides, turning them into a searchable database. The consumer-friendly inference data generation service automatically updates merchant information to its latest state via AI. BC Card plans to test these generative AI-related services while operating them as innovative financial services before moving toward full commercialization.
Shinhan Card is promoting AX across the entire company. In January 2025, it introduced 'AI-SoLa,' a generative AI-based consultation support system, and applied it to the entire consultation process. In July, it built an in-house AI platform called 'AINa' for employee use. AINa learns individual work patterns and provides customized support. It can search real-time manual data to answer questions regarding marketing, card services, and legal compliance reviews, and can even create department-specific customized bots.
In March, in partnership with Mastercard, Shinhan Card became the first in the industry to demonstrate 'AI Agent Pay,' where AI completes the entire process from searching to payment on behalf of the user. This is the first case of implementing 'agentic commerce,' where AI handles everything from shopping to payment according to the user's intent, in real-world merchant transactions.
In April of this year, Shinhan Card participated in the 'Agentic AI Alliance,' a state-led consultative body formed to develop the national AI agent ecosystem, as the only private financial company. The goal of the Agentic AI Alliance is to address the entire value chain of the AI industry, from technology acquisition to ecosystem adjustment and norm-setting; it includes approximately 250 domestic companies and institutions. Shinhan Card is participating in the ecosystem division to help expand AI agents and establish responsible guidelines. Shinhan Card stated, "We will actively participate in the development and construction of the AI Agent Pay ecosystem as a result of joining this consultative body."