Conex gives birth to ALBA

Conex gives birth to ALBA, first tariff classification chatbot integrated into customs clearance software

CONEX, the French leader in customs clearance software solutions, has created ALBA: its chatbot specialising in customs tariff classification, natively integrated into declarants’ work tools. Backed by 40 years of regulatory expertise and real-time data updates, ALBA achieves a 95% accuracy rate in classifications, validated by human classification experts across several thousand queries in real-world conditions.

A professional response to a crucial need

With the widespread use of consumer AI tools, more and more professionals are tempted to use general-purpose solutions to classify their goods. In an environment as regulated as customs, the risks are significant: inspections, blocked goods, disputes, financial adjustments.

ALBA was designed to meet this demand for immediacy without sacrificing regulatory rigour. Its conversational interface, deliberately similar to consumer tools, allows for immediate uptake. But behind this ease of use lies formalised business expertise and a continuously updated regulatory database that feeds into every response.

An assistant integrated into the declarant’s workstation

Integrated into the heart of the CONEX customs clearance environment, ALBA is an expert assistant that declarants can call upon at any time, directly from their workstation. By way of a natural dialogue combining text, photos, and documents, the assistant analyses information, asks questions to refine understanding, cross-references regulatory sources, and proposes the most relevant classification. The control and responsibility for the final decision remains with the declarant at all times. The tool provides powerful analysis and regulatory memory; humans provide professional insight and context.

ALBA: 30 years of affiliation

In 1995, Alban Gruson, founder of CONEX, made a visionary bet: to dematerialise the customs tariff, at the time only available in the form of bulky paper files or microfiche. This marked the birth of the first Customs Encyclopaedia SelecTarif, recently renamed Tariff via Conex™, today deployed in six European countries. But Alban had a broader vision: he dreamed of an ‘expert system’ capable of guiding declarants through the tariff classification process. The technological limitations of the time prevented this from happening. CONEX never lost sight of this goal. Thirty years later, ALBA made it a reality. From the Latin alba — white, pure — its name embodies the requirement for accurate and reliable classification and pays tribute to the man who laid the foundation stone.

“For CONEX, innovation is not a recent change of direction, it has been a constant for 40 years. With ALBA, we are accelerating this movement by integrating the most advanced technologies with in-depth customs expertise. It is this combination — state-of-the-art technology and business expertise — that makes the difference for our customers in an increasingly demanding environment.”, states Bertrand Gruson, CONEX CEO.