Digital Banking

First Internet Bank goes all in on AI

First Internet Bank was the first online only bank in the 1990s. Now it is embracing AI.

Photo: Adobe Stock

August 24, 2026 by Bradley Cooper — Editor, Connect Media

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First Internet Bank is no stranger to taking the first steps in an uncertain landscape. Founded in 1999 in Fishers, Indiana, it was the first online only bank, in a time when dialup internet was common and many banks were hesitant to embrace digital formats.

Today, First Internet Bank founder and CEO David Becker is continuing that innovative spirit by enabling customer-centric AI controls that enable them to talk with AI about their finances. Powered by Model Context Protocol, customers can ask questions to the ChatGPT and Claude-powered assistant while maintaining full control of their finances, since the tool does not have access to the customer's self-service banking controls.

However, there are many open questions about AI, including accuracy, security of customers' information and more.

To learn more about how First Internet Bank is using AI, ATM Marketplace reached out to Becker via an email interview.

Q: What sort of questions can customers ask a supported AI assistant?
Becker: Think of it as a simpler way to understand your finances.

Business and personal customers can now ask questions in plain language and receive insights based on the account information they've chosen to share. That might include understanding spending patterns, tracking savings progress, reviewing cash flow, monitoring revenue trends, confirming recent transactions or identifying recurring expenses.

For example, customers may ask:

• Do I have enough cash on hand to cover upcoming bills?
• How has my spending changed over the last few months?
• How much have I saved this year?
• Has a recent payment posted?
• What subscriptions am I paying for?

Business banking customers can ask:

• Will I have enough cash on hand to cover payroll and upcoming expenses?
• What were my largest expenses last month?
• How has revenue changed compared to the previous month?
• Which vendors have been paid recently?
• What trends am I seeing in cash flow over time?

The goal is to empower customers with easier access to financial information, helping them spend less time searching for answers and more time focusing on what's next.

Q: How does it maintain customer privacy?
Becker: Privacy starts with choice.

MCP is entirely optional. Customers must actively choose to connect their eligible accounts, and nothing is shared without their permission.

Customers decide what information can be accessed, can review permissions at any time, and can disconnect whenever they choose. They also never share their First Internet Bank online banking username or password with an AI assistant.

At First Internet Bank, we believe innovation should help customers do more while staying firmly in control of their information. That's why customers decide if, when, and how they share it.

Q: What security measures are in place to help protect customer information?
Becker: Security is built into the experience from the start.

MCP connections are read-only, which means AI assistants can analyze approved account information but cannot move money, make payments, change account settings, or take action on a customer's behalf.

Access is protected by secure authorization controls, and sessions expire according to the bank's security settings to help keep customer information secure.

Q: What are the primary limitations of this tool?
Becker: MCP is designed to make financial information easier to access and understand.

To help keep customers in control and their information secure, the current experience focuses on providing insights from approved account information. Today, that means it:

• Provides information without transferring funds, making payments, or modifying account settings.
• Shares information about statements and tax documents, though it cannot display the documents themselves.
• Returns posted transactions.
• Displays verified external accounts.

Think of it as another tool in your financial toolkit. Its purpose is to help customers spend less time searching for information and more time putting it to work.

Q: Can it connect customers with a First Internet Bank representative?
Becker:Not directly.

In some situations, the AI assistant may suggest contacting First Internet Bank or provide our contact information if a question would be better addressed by a member of our team. However, it cannot connect customers with a representative, schedule appointments, or create support requests on their behalf.

When customers need personal assistance, our team is still here to help.

Q: What has customer feedback been like?
Becker:MCP functionality is currently in beta, and we're continuing to learn how customers use it in real-world situations.

Early interest has centered on the ability to interact with financial information more naturally. Customers appreciate being able to ask questions in plain language, get answers more quickly, and explore new ways to better understand their finances.

It's another example of how we're working to empower customers with information while helping them stay in control of their financial lives.

About Bradley Cooper

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Bradley Cooper is an experienced editor for Connect Media. He has written across a wide range of beats, ranging from food to digital signage to banking, and is the current editor of ATM Marketplace and Food Truck Operator. His background is in information technology, advertising, and writing. When he’s not crafting a story, you can find him going for a run or spending time with his wife and three sons. 

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