AI agents are moving beyond advice into autonomous spending, with platforms now letting them access bank accounts and credit cards to shop and pay without user approval at each step.
ChatGPT can read transaction data across more than 12,000 financial institutions, while Robinhood, Visa and Mastercard have launched tools that give AI agents payment credentials and checkout capability.
NerdWallet found 26% of Americans have used AI chatbots for personal finance questions; among those who acted on the advice, 29% said it hurt their finances and 39% said it helped.
That risk is amplified by weak verification: 49% of Americans do not feel confident judging whether AI financial advice is accurate, and 1 in 5 followers acted immediately without extra research or human input.
NerdWallet says users should treat AI as a starting point, not a final authority, because response quality depends on prompting and on whether the bot draws from reputable, current sources.