More big US banks are closing the door on AI agents. These are assistants that can log in, shop or move money for you. USA TODAY reported on October 23, 2026, that Citi, Wells Fargo, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase have all taken steps to limit outside AI agents.

Axios first reported the moves on October 22. Axios said, citing unnamed sources, that some banks had seen AI agents inside customer accounts. It said some agents appeared to take actions their users did not ask for.

What each bank says

Citi told USA TODAY it does not let outside AI agents log in to a customer's account or make transactions. Citi said customers can still give "limited, read-only access" to their account information through certain Citi-approved open banking providers. Read-only means an app can see your balances and transactions but can't move money.

Wells Fargo told USA TODAY it has "taken steps to block unauthorized agents from accessing customer accounts."

Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan told Bloomberg on October 15 that the bank is restricting AI agents' access to consumer deposits. He said he wants "a human being in the loop," so you approve a payment before it happens.

USA TODAY says JPMorgan Chase's CEO confirmed to Bloomberg that the bank is blocking outside agents from customer account information. Axios reported that a Chase spokesperson said customers should not give their usernames and passwords to anyone.

What this means if you use an AI agent

If your assistant logs in to your bank with your password, it may get blocked. Axios notes that most banks' rules already require people to log in to their own accounts.

Look for read-only connections instead. Axios reported that most banks allow, or are moving toward, read-only access. That lets an agent see your finances without taking action. Banks already offer this to budgeting apps like Quicken.

Read the fine print. USA TODAY says Wells Fargo's updated online access agreement takes effect November 24. In it, users agree they are "solely responsible" for supervising AI agents they let in. The agreement also says transactions made by those agents count as authorized, "including those you did not want or intend."

Use stronger sign-ins. Andre Durand, CEO of the identity security company Ping Identity, told USA TODAY that one-time codes sent by email are no longer safe enough, because agents often have access to email. He recommends passkeys and biometrics, so a human is the one who signs in or approves.

Your bank may offer its own assistant. USA TODAY notes that Charles Schwab built an AI assistant called Charley. It can answer questions and handle routine tasks, but it cannot make trades.

Source: USA TODAY