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Apollo chief economist warns AI agents could trigger bank runs
Brief published September 29, 2026 · Original source published September 27, 2026
Original reporting by Diego Almada Lopez at cryptobriefing.com.
Automated brief. Verify important details at the original source.
What happened
Apollo Global's chief economist Torsten Sløk has warned that AI agents capable of automated cash optimization could systematically drain cheap deposits from traditional banks. The concern is not panic-driven bank runs in the classic sense, but efficiency-driven ones, where AI tools continuously shift deposits toward higher-yield alternatives, potentially moving trillions out of conventional accounts without any human urgency or fear involved.
Why it matters
If AI agents routinely optimize household and corporate cash holdings at scale, banks could lose access to low-cost deposit funding they rely on for lending. That would pressure banks to raise deposit rates or seek more expensive funding sources, with potential knock-on effects for credit availability and broader financial stability. Regulators have not yet addressed this specific mechanism.
What to watch
Whether financial regulators begin examining AI-driven deposit mobility as a systemic risk category, and whether banks respond by building their own AI cash tools or lobbying for restrictions on third-party agents.