Mr. Mohan Sankaran

The Age of Financial AI Agents: Managing Risk When Machines Manage Money

Abstract:

Autonomous AI agents are already managing hundreds of billions in assets, making split-second decisions that move markets. With Gartner predicting 40% of enterprise applications will integrate AI agents by 2026, machines now make financial decisions - not just execute them.

But who's liable when an AI agent triggers a flash crash? How do we govern systems operating faster than human oversight?

This keynote confronts critical questions financial leaders often avoid. Drawing on Gartner research, it will explore the accountability crisis as AI agents gain autonomy, “guardian AI” oversight frameworks, and why traditional risk management fails with autonomous systems.

With 90% of finance functions expected to deploy AI by 2026, governance is urgent. We will examine frameworks for maintaining accountability without sacrificing efficiency, emerging regulatory compliance strategies, and responsible deployment roadmaps.

The machines are managing money. The question is: are you managing the machines responsibly?

Profile:

Mohan Sankaran is an Engineering Lead with over 20 years of experience spanning Android, fintech, AI/ML, IoT, blockchain, tokenization, and cybersecurity. He currently leads Android engineering for the Business Experience in the PayPal App, empowering millions of business users worldwide. Mohan has been instrumental in Zettle and multiple PayPal financial products, driving innovation across diverse customer segments.

Previously at Visa, he contributed to the Visa Tokenization Service (VTS), the backbone of Apple Pay, Google Pay, and global banking ecosystems, scaling secure digital payments to over $1 trillion while reducing fraud. Earlier, he delivered mobile banking solutions across India and South Africa, gaining a unique perspective on building secure, scalable, and user-centric technology for global markets.