ICBA recommended to the National Institute of Standards and Technology that any future guidance on artificial intelligence agents reflect the realities of community banking.
Details: In a letter responding to NIST’s request for information on security considerations for AI agent systems, ICBA said:
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Agent systems should be treated as a higher-risk category of AI because they can take actions—not just generate text—that impact sensitive data, customer communications, and business operations.
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NIST should encourage strong identity orchestration to support a “Know Your Agent” approach so institutions can identify which agent is acting, what it is authorized to do, and who approved that authority.
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Guidance must emphasize "constrained deployments by default" in high-risk environments, clear accountability across the vendor ecosystem, and auditability that enables banks to investigate incidents, protect customers, and demonstrate appropriate oversight.
AI in the Spotlight:
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The Treasury Department last month released two resources to guide AI use in the financial sector.
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The Labor Department recently published a framework to guide nationwide AI efforts across workforce and education systems.
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President Trump in December proposed removing state-level AI laws and installing a national standard.
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Recent Independent Banker articles detail ways that community banks can use AI to fight fraud and tips on developing AI policies.