AI wants to spend your money for you. Should you trust it?

Site SearchClearSEARCHAdvanced Search ➔Search ResultsSymbolsNo results foundAll NewsArticlesVideoPodcasts0 ResultsNo Results FoundAuthorsNo results foundSectionsNo results foundColumnsNo results found AI wants to spend your money for you. Should you trust it?From virtual shopping assistants to filing taxes, there are countless ways to integrate AI into your personal finances todayLast Updated: March 20, 2026 at 11:26 a.m. ETFirst Published: March 19, 2026 at 3:55 p.m. ETShareResizeListen(7 min)Google, Walmart, Mastercard and other companies want you to use agentic AI for financial transactions. Here’s when this makes sense and when to steer clear. Photo: MarketWatch photo illustration/iStockphotoFinancial planner Stephen Kates thinks using artificial-intelligence tools for personal finances is similar to using a chainsaw: “In the hands of the right person with the right capabilities, you can carve a beautiful statue or cut a tree or do something very useful.”For someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing, however? “They can lose a limb,” said Kates, a financial analyst at Bankrate. “And you could do the same to yourself financially.” About the Author Genna ContinoGenna Contino is the Smart Spending reporter on MarketWatch's personal finance desk. She previously covered personal finance for CNBC as well as city hall for The Charlotte Observer in North Carolina. She graduated from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York in 2024.Show Conversation (0)Back To TopA Dow Jones CompanyCopyright © 2026 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved.Terms of UsePrivacy NoticeCookie NoticeArchive MarketwatchCustomer CenterContact UsNewslettersNewsroom RosterVirtual Stock ExchangeMarketWatch GuidesCopyright PolicyManage NotificationsCancel My SubscriptionCompanyDow JonesCode of ConductCorrectionsReprints & LicensingDigital Self ServiceYour Ad ChoicesCorporate SubscriptionsAccessibilityDow Jones NetworkThe Wall Street JournalBarron'sInvestor's Business DailyFinancial News Londonrealtor.comMansion GlobalDow Jones Smart MoneyIntraday Data provided by FACTSET and subject to terms of use. Historical and current end-of-day data provided by FACTSET. All quotes are in local exchange time. Real-time last sale data for U.S. stock quotes reflect trades reported through Nasdaq only. Intraday data delayed at least 15 minutes or per exchange requirements.