Kenneth Glad
Several balances can make ordinary bills harder to manage. In one Norwegian case, a digital plan helped bring the final payment within reach.
A 26-year-old woman in Norway named Victoria is close to clearing approximately €17,600 in credit card and consumer debt after using AI to help arrange a repayment plan, according to NRK.
At one point, she owed money to several credit providers. Now, only one credit card remains before she reaches a milestone she has not known in adult life: Being debt-free.
Her borrowing began in her teens, when she received a credit card while still in upper secondary school and bought a computer. During the pandemic, isolation made online shopping harder to resist. She said waiting for packages became one of the few things that lifted her mood.
Clothes, cosmetics, skincare and electronics followed. One purchase, according to the broadcaster, was a refrigerator worth approximately €880.
Deliveries became part of the problem
What began as separate purchases eventually became a constant financial strain. Victoria struggled to focus on her studies and took on as much work as possible because she wanted the debt gone.
“It stressed me constantly. If I did not do something now, I could still be sitting with this when I was 40,” she said.
Debt apps first helped her list what she owed. Then she used an AI chatbot to compare income, work hours, expenses and interest rates, creating a repayment order instead of choosing one card at random.
Consumer economist Silje Sandmael told NRK that financial pressure is not only a money problem. She said many people carry debt stress alone for too long, and that money worries can contribute to sleeplessness, anxiety and depression.
According to Norwegian Debt Register figures reported by NRK, unsecured debt in Norway has reached approximately €15.4 billion. The broadcaster reported that it rose by approximately €150 million in May alone.
Sensitive details went into the tool
Sandmael said AI may be a useful starting point for people who need an overview and help setting priorities. Her broader advice was to seek support from someone trustworthy rather than trying to manage serious debt in silence.
Technology strategist Eirin Larsen also urged caution. She told NRK that people can often get useful guidance from AI without sharing every sensitive detail, and said those with major financial problems should check original sources and speak with their bank.
Larsen warned that personal information entered into such tools may be used to train language models or shape targeted advertising.
Victoria acknowledged that handing over so much financial information to a chatbot felt uncomfortable. Still, she saw it as a price worth paying if it helped her finally clear the debt.
With the last payment now in sight, she has one message for others in a similar position:
“Start now. Do not wait for several years like I did.”
Sources: NRK
