Financial Data Aggregators Get Pulled Into the AI Finance Race

For years, aggregators such as Plaid, MX and Finicity have occupied a central position in digital finance by connecting banks, FinTechs and consumer applications to financial account data.

Artificial intelligence models are now beginning to edge into parts of that relationship, turning conversational AI into another destination where consumers can monitor spending, analyze transactions and manage financial decisions.

The shift does not mean AI models would replace aggregators outright. It does, however, introduce the possibility of new competition around who controls the consumer-facing layer of financial engagement.

Last week, OpenAI introduced personal finance capabilities inside ChatGPT that allow users to connect financial accounts and receive responses grounded in transaction activity and account information, linking the accounts via Plaid. In April, Perplexity expanded its partnership with Plaid to let users connect checking accounts, credit cards and loans directly into its platform for spending analysis and financial management tools.

These developments move conversational AI closer to the territory traditionally associated with financial data aggregators. The announcements spotlight the control of the interface where consumers increasingly ask financial questions.

If consumers begin asking ChatGPT or Perplexity questions such as, “Why was my checking account balance lower this month?” or “Which subscriptions are costing me the most money?,” the AI platform becomes the place where financial analysis and decision-making begin. Consumers may spend less time inside bank applications or personal finance dashboards and more time inside conversational systems interpreting financial activity in real time.

The Connective Infrastructure

AI models can summarize transactions, identify spending patterns and explain cash flow changes, but those functions still depend on access to financial data in the first place. Aggregators continue to provide the infrastructure responsible for account authentication, permissions management, transaction normalization and identity verification across thousands of financial institutions.

OpenAI said its financial account connectivity is supported through Plaid’s network of more than 12,000 financial institutions, while Intuit is expected to support the feature as well. Perplexity’s expanded finance tools similarly rely on Plaid’s infrastructure to connect users to accounts and transaction histories.

That underlying data layer becomes increasingly valuable as AI systems attempt to generate useful financial guidance.

Deposit account activity, including payroll deposits, recurring bill payments, subscription spending and debit card transactions, often provides a more updated picture of a consumer’s financial condition than traditional credit bureau data alone. Checking account information also allows AI systems to identify spending trends, forecast cash balances and flag unusual account activity in ways that static financial snapshots cannot.

The operational challenge is that financial data remains fragmented across banks, credit unions, card issuers and payment systems. Aggregators built much of the connective framework required to unify that information.

Plaid said its systems support nearly 1 million new account connections. It plans to expand connectivity into areas like cryptocurrency wallets and property-related financial data.

Beyond the current interdependence, the competitive pressure could intensify if AI firms eventually pursue direct bank integrations or proprietary data-sharing systems in a bid to control the customer relationship and, by extension, monetization opportunities attached to it.

Data Sharing and Security Questions

The expansion of conversational finance also introduces new concerns around consumer consent, fraud exposure and operational oversight.

Consumers may be comfortable using AI assistants to review subscriptions or summarize spending categories. Giving autonomous systems authority to move money, authorize transactions or execute financial actions presents a different level of risk.

Only about 1 in 5 consumers would allow an autonomous AI agent to manage banking activity on their behalf, according to PYMNTS Intelligence data. The hesitation reflects broader concerns around unauthorized access, data misuse and the concentration of sensitive financial information inside conversational platforms.

In separate coverage on the specter of bank runs, PYMNTS reported Friday (May 15) that AI-driven fraud and automated account attacks could place additional pressure on financial institutions if compromised systems trigger false account activity, blocked payment access or wider operational disruptions.

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