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Sitharaman Urges Stronger Guardrails as Agentic AI Adoption Accelerates
Nirmala Sitharaman warned that new technologies can make financial services much faster.
Agentic AI can take actions instead of only making suggestions.
Tokenisation can help assets move quickly, while quantum computing may create powerful new capabilities.
But faster systems can also spread mistakes, fraud and attacks more quickly.
AI can help find fraud, but it can also help criminals launch larger cyberattacks.
Older security systems may need upgrades because of quantum computing.
Sitharaman said innovation should continue, but it must include strong safety measures.
She also said people and institutions must remain responsible for important decisions.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman warned that Agentic AI, tokenisation and quantum computing could create systemic risks if safeguards fall behind.
She said faster automated decisions and transactions could also accelerate software errors, fraud, cyberattacks and market shocks.
Sitharaman highlighted benefits including quicker asset transfers, automated actions, faster fraud detection and advanced computing capabilities.
She called for systems that are accountable, reversible when mistakes occur, and supported by human and institutional responsibility.
She urged coordination among financial regulators, competition authorities, data-protection bodies and cybersecurity agencies.
- Who
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the fintech industry.
- What
- Sitharaman called for stronger accountability, oversight and preparedness to manage risks from Agentic AI, tokenisation and quantum computing.
- Where
- Mumbai, India.
- When
- Friday, during the 7th Global Fintech Fest 2026.
- Why
- To ensure technological progress and faster financial processes do not undermine safety, security, accountability and consumer trust.
Innovation and Speed
Safety and Accountability
Faster financial systems
Innovation and Speed
Agentic AI can take direct actions, tokenisation can make asset transfers almost instantaneous, and quantum computing can enable capabilities previously considered impossible.
Safety and Accountability
Instantaneous decisions and transactions can spread software errors, fraud and market shocks at the same speed.
Artificial intelligence
Innovation and Speed
AI can improve efficiency and detect fraud faster.
Safety and Accountability
AI can also enable attackers to automate larger and more sophisticated cyberattacks, requiring stronger safeguards.
Regulation and responsibility
Innovation and Speed
Technology should be allowed to move and innovation should be permitted to accelerate without unnecessary operational friction.
Safety and Accountability
High-consequence decisions require review, explanation, appeal, reversibility and continuing human and institutional responsibility.
Key facts
- Speaker
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
- Event
- 7th Global Fintech Fest 2026
- Location
- Mumbai
- Technologies discussed
- Agentic AI, tokenisation and quantum computing
- Key risks
- Software errors, fraud, cyberattacks, market shocks and outdated encryption systems
- Policy focus
- Accountability, oversight, human responsibility and institutional preparedness
- Regulatory coordination
- Financial regulators, competition authorities, data-protection bodies and cybersecurity agencies
Quotes
Nirmala Sitharaman
India’s Finance Minister
“As we rapidly progress into the era of Agentic AI, tokenisation, and quantum computing, we all need to ask a critical question to ourselves: how do we balance breakthrough efficiency against emerging systemic risk?”
financialexpress.com
“We need to allow technology to move. Allow innovation to accelerate. But we cannot allow the human element—the ability to question, correct, restrain and take responsibility—to be lost along the way.”
financialexpress.com
Sources
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