Citi Unleashes the Power of Agentic AI: Transforming Finance with Technology
Revolutionizing Employee Efficiency
In a groundbreaking move, Citi has launched an agentic artificial intelligence (AI) platform that empowers employees around the globe to uncover market insights, analyze client strategies, and translate languages—all with a single prompt. This innovative tool, part of the enhanced Citi Stylus Workspaces, was introduced in September 2025 and marks a significant upgrade in the bank’s digital capabilities.
The Agentic AI Upgrade
The latest iteration of Citi Stylus Workspaces integrates seamlessly with select Citi systems, enabling employees to complete tasks with remarkable efficiency. Notably, the Agent Mode reduces several manual steps, streamlining workflows and improving productivity. Currently being piloted by 5,000 users worldwide, this feature will soon be available to all Citi employees.
Embracing an AI-First Culture
Payal Jain, Citi’s head of application engineering and platforms, emphasizes the importance of an AI-first workforce: “We firmly believe that to be competitive in the digital age, we must be an AI-first workforce.” This vision reflects Citi’s commitment to leveraging technology to better serve its clients and enhance operational efficiency.
A Pioneer in AI Adoption
Citi has a history of embracing AI technologies, having introduced internal AI tools as early as 2024. These innovations have allowed employees to summarize documents, draft presentations, and automate administrative tasks. The bank has also utilized AI for fraud detection for over a decade, forming part of its broader transformation strategy.
Accelerating Software Development
To enhance software development processes, Citi has employed tools like GitHub Copilot and Cognition’s Devin, as well as its own Citi Squad. As of the third quarter of 2025, Citi developers have completed over 1 million automated code reviews, freeing up 100,000 hours per week for engineers to focus on innovative projects.
Image Caption: Citi’s agentic AI platform is supporting employees in day-to-day work, simplifying tasks like research, analysis, and communication.
A Global Workforce Empowered by AI
Today, over 180,000 employees across 83 countries actively use Citi’s AI tools, all backed by a robust governance framework. The bank’s ethical AI principles, established in 2019, guide every application of this technology, ensuring responsible and accountable usage.
Building an AI-Ready Culture
Citi adopts a human-in-the-loop model, emphasizing accountability in AI tool usage. Jain states, “We’ve created channels for colleagues to share what’s working and what they need. That feedback loop is critical to evolving our tools.” More than 4,000 employees serve as AI Champions and Accelerators, driving adoption and providing real-time feedback.
Comprehensive Training Programs
To equip employees with the necessary skills, Citi offers mandatory training sessions, including “Asking Smart Questions – Prompting like a Pro,” alongside continuous development programs. Jain notes, “By putting AI into the hands of our people and ensuring they have the skills needed to use the tools effectively, we’re making Citi more productive, agile, and client-focused.”
Continuous Evolution in Technology
Citi is committed to evolving its technology in line with emerging trends to meet the needs of its workforce, clients, and the financial industry. Jain emphasizes that leveraging advancements in technology is crucial for sustained growth and adaptability.
Tokenization: A New Frontier in Finance
In addition to AI, tokenization is reshaping the financial landscape. Citi has harnessed this technology to significantly enhance its core services, such as cash management, through blockchain innovations.
Introducing Citi Token Services
The bank’s Citi Token Services enables tokenization across various asset classes, facilitating tokenized internal liquidity transfers and payments. Ryan Rugg, global head of digital assets for treasury and trade solutions, explains, “Citi Token Services enables clients to move money around our network, across borders, instantaneously on a 24/7 basis.”
Seamless Integration with Existing Systems
Rugg further elaborates that the platform integrates seamlessly with Citi’s existing products, eliminating the need for clients to adopt new systems. This feature ensures ease of use and enhances client satisfaction.
Image Caption: With its tokenized services, Citi clients can make cross-border payments in real time.
A Leap into 24/7 Financial Transactions
Citi Token Services for Cash, launched in 2024, utilizes a private permissioned blockchain to allow clients to move money constantly across key markets, eliminating cut-off times and settlement delays. For example, during Chinese New Year, a client successfully transferred funds between Singapore and the US while local markets were closed.
Real-World Applications of Instant Liquidity
These innovations are not just theoretical. An electronics multinational corporation used the service to invest excess liquidity in US money markets after Asia’s close. Rugg highlights, “These are real-world examples of programmable payments and instant liquidity.”
Participation in Global Initiatives
In Singapore, Citi is actively participating in the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Project Guardian, a collaborative initiative aimed at enhancing liquidity and efficiency in financial markets through asset tokenization. This project has already seen multiple industry trials across asset and wealth management, fixed income, and foreign exchange (FX).
Bridging Traditional and Digital Finance
In 2025, Citi and Swift demonstrated the feasibility of settling payments between fiat and digital currencies through successful trials of a Payment-versus-Payment settlement workflow. This work illustrates a powerful hybrid model for interoperability between traditional financial systems and Distributed Ledger Technology networks.
A Cautious Approach to Innovation
Choo Haiping, Citi’s global head for digital assets for markets, emphasizes the importance of caution in this evolving space: “Our strategy is to pursue opportunities that have technology and regulatory clarity, along with client demand and within our risk capabilities.”
Future Pilots in Financial Innovation
Citi continues to explore innovative solutions, as demonstrated by a 2024 pilot in collaboration with Fidelity International, where they showcased a proof-of-concept for an on-chain money market fund with a digital FX swap solution. This initiative aims to enhance real-time settlement and treasury efficiency.
Conclusion: A Bright Future Ahead
Citi’s commitment to integrating agentic AI and tokenization into its operations highlights the bank’s forward-thinking approach to the evolving financial landscape. By empowering employees with cutting-edge technology and embracing innovative solutions, Citi is not only enhancing its own operational efficiency but also setting new standards for the industry. The future looks promising as Citi continues to evolve, leveraging advancements that benefit both its workforce and clients alike.
