Finance leaders from the Group of Seven nations agreed to run tabletop exercises simulating AI-driven cyberattacks. The exercises will test how financial authorities respond to incidents that could disrupt services and weaken public confidence.
G7 tests financial response
G7 finance authorities will design the exercises for finance ministries, central banks and regulators. A Japanese Finance Ministry official told Reuters that the results will assess existing response protocols and help revise operational manuals.
The exercises could include private financial institutions, depending on the scenarios. Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama announced the agreement after G7 finance ministers and central bank governors met during the International Monetary Fund’s annual gathering in Bangkok.
AI raises financial risks
The decision follows an International Monetary Fund warning that cyber incidents could disrupt financial services or weaken confidence. The IMF said financial stability risks remain elevated and that existing vulnerabilities could amplify future shocks.
The IMF also identified increasingly sophisticated cyber threats as a growing risk as finance becomes more digital and interconnected. The G7 exercises will therefore test coordination among authorities responsible for banks, payment systems and other critical services.
Regulators widen AI oversight
The Financial Stability Board said in an October 12 statement that safe AI adoption across finance will remain an important policy issue. Reuters also reported that the Bank of England is working with banks on cyber-recovery options.
The G7 exercises will assess whether financial authorities can share information and coordinate their response when an AI-enabled incident affects more than one institution.
References
Financial Stability Board. (2026, October 12). FSB Chair sets out FSB work on AI and stablecoins. https://www.fsb.org/2026/10/fsb-chair-sets-out-fsb-work-on-ai-and-stablecoins/
International Monetary Fund. (2026, October 13). IMF / Global Financial Stability Report Annual Meetings, 2026. https://mediacenter.imf.org/press-briefings/imf---global-financial-stability-report-annual-meetings--2026/s/f55368c1-983b-45b7-ba7c-1978f67c168c
Kihara, L. (2026, October 16). G7 to launch exercises to guard against AI cyber attacks. Reuters. https://www.marketscreener.com/news/g7-to-launch-exercises-to-guard-against-ai-cyber-attacks-ce785dd3d080f326