Banks Remain Wary of AI Agents Despite Industry Optimism

Financial institutions are cautiously navigating the AI revolution, with Deloitte data revealing a stark gap between enthusiasm and adoption. While 80.5% of finance professionals believe AI tools like agentic systems and GenAI chatbots will become standard within five years, only 13.5% report active deployment. The hesitation stems from unresolved operational risks—particularly memory constraints in high-stakes advisory roles.

Citi’s new Gemini-powered wealth assistant, launching this summer for Citigold clients, exemplifies both the potential and pitfalls. As Dipendra Malhotra, Citi’s wealth technology head, notes: 'The real test isn’t capability but reliability—how long before the system starts hallucinating during a client conversation?'

Third-party custody remains a red line. 'True delegation requires three guarantees,' emphasizes MihnChi Park of CoinFello. 'Strict instruction adherence, user override capability, and zero asset transfers to external parties.'