AI Transforming the Financial Landscape

Sens. Josh Hawley and Richard Blumenthal introduced the Artificial Intelligence Risk Evaluation Act of 2025, which would create a federal evaluation program for advanced AI systems before they can be deployed in interstate or foreign commerce.

The proposal would place the Department of Energy in charge of a testing framework that includes red-teaming, third-party evaluations, and safety assessments of model training data and model weights. The program is intended to identify risks to national security, public safety, and civil liberties before deployment.

Only the most advanced AI models, defined by a computing threshold, would be subject to the requirements. Developers that deploy covered systems without completing the evaluation process could face penalties of up to $1 million per day.

The Federal Reserve proposed new rules to implement stablecoin provisions established under the GENIUS Act.

The proposal would create a supervisory framework for payment stablecoin issuers, including requirements for reserve backing, risk management, governance, and operational controls. Fed-supervised banks seeking to issue stablecoins would be required to submit applications and supporting information for regulatory review. The framework is intended to address credit, liquidity, and operational risks while providing regulatory clarity for financial institutions exploring stablecoin issuance.

The proposal represents a significant step toward integrating stablecoins into the regulated U.S. financial system and establishing formal oversight for their use in payments and other financial services activities.

NIST launched a new AI Standards “Zero NIST launched a new AI Standards “Zero Drafts” pilot program aimed at accelerating AI standardization and broadening stakeholder participation.

Under the approach, NIST will publish early draft concepts, gather public feedback, and then help transition mature work into industry-led standards development processes.

The first Zero Draft focuses on public-facing AI documentation, offering guidance and templates for describing AI models, datasets, governance, and risk information. NIST hopes the process will shorten standards-development timelines while improving transparency and collaboration among government, industry, academia, and standards bodies.

Meta announced Muse for Small Business, expanding its AI agent platform to help small businesses manage operations, attract customers, and complete tasks across existing business tools.

Muse integrates with platforms including Shopify, QuickBooks, Stripe, Slack, Zoom, Notion, Canva, Dropbox, Facebook, and Instagram, allowing it to understand a business’s products, customers, and workflows.

Meta positions Muse as an AI agent that can help business owners save time by handling routine tasks while requiring user approval before publishing content, sending communications, or spending money.