US banks detect unauthorized AI agents inside accounts

Major U.S. banks are detecting unauthorized third-party AI agents inside customer accounts, including some attempting to take actions that appear to be independent of user instructions, sources told Axios.

Banking executives are restricting access to their systems because AI moves at a velocity faster than financial institutions can respond, according to multiple industry and bank executives.

Several banks are preparing for worst-case and day-after scenarios, including how to rapidly secure or restore customer accounts, according to the same sources.

Bank executives report difficulty distinguishing between human users and AI agents, and they struggle to determine whether agents are authorized by customers or potentially operating without their permission, akin to rogue agent behavior, as reported by Axios.