Banks detect unauthorized AI agents inside customer accounts

What we know

• Major U.S. banks including Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, JPMorgan and Wells Fargo have detected third-party AI agents inside customer accounts, according to reports cited by the outlets.
• Banks say some agents contacted call centers or took actions that did not come from direct user instructions.
• Customers often give AI assistants their login credentials so the software can manage financial tasks, a practice banks say conflicts with rules requiring a human to log in directly.
• Bank officials said they struggle to tell whether account activity is user-directed or performed by an agent, and whether an agent was authorized.
• One bank official described the situation as horrifying, and another cited grave concerns about agents accessing customer accounts and affecting user finances.