Fed's Waller Addresses AI Agents' Role in Modern Payments

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller delivered remarks at Sibos 2026 in Miami, Florida, focusing on the intersection of artificial intelligence and the evolving payments system, according to a speech published by the Federal Reserve Board.

The address, titled "Payments in the Age of AI Agents," signals growing attention from senior U.S. central bank officials to the practical and policy implications of autonomous AI systems operating within financial infrastructure. AI agents — software systems capable of executing tasks independently — are increasingly being explored by financial institutions for functions ranging from fraud detection to transaction processing.

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Waller's appearance at Sibos, one of the financial industry's premier annual gatherings organized by SWIFT, underscores the Fed's engagement with global payments stakeholders at a moment when digitization and automation are accelerating across wholesale and retail payment networks. The choice of topic reflects broader regulatory and industry interest in how AI-driven decision-making could alter settlement flows, compliance obligations, and oversight frameworks.

While the full text of the remarks was not reproduced here, speeches by Fed governors at venues like Sibos typically carry policy weight, offering signals about how the central bank is thinking through emerging technology risks and opportunities ahead of any formal rulemaking or guidance.

Continue reading at FRB: Speeches for the full text of Governor Waller's remarks.