digital assistants are becoming independent market participants / Society news of Krasnoyarsk and the Krasnoyarsk Territory / Newslab.Ru

In the first quarter of 2026, users of Russian-language social media began to discuss the emergence of an independent economic system with the participation of artificial intelligence, within which digital assistants can be considered as separate entities that solve practical problems and can independently interact with each other.

Such conclusions are contained in the study “Perception of AI agents through the eyes of social media users,” conducted by Brand Analytics on behalf of VTB.

Deputy President – Chairman of the Board of VTB Vadim Kulik, based on the results of the study, noted that the prerequisites for such an economy are already being formed, for example in the field of financial transactions and product selection.

“It will take several more years for a full-fledged system – with sustainable rules and regulation. AI agents can become full-fledged assistants to people in the foreseeable future: they will independently select goods, optimize costs, manage subscriptions and financial flows of users and companies,” he said. According to the top manager, the development of this market will depend on regulation, technology and the level of trust in AI.

In the study, analysts examined mentions of the terms “AI agent” in various word forms in social media in Russian. It turned out that 11% of discussions are economic in nature. Users discuss the impact of AI agents on the labor market, the risks of job losses and the hypothetical transformation of employment. The focus was on the concept of an “AI agent economy,” where digital assistants act as independent market participants. Key issues raised by users include monetization models, the cost of owning AI agents, and the need to regulate them.

The most discussed topic remains the practical application of AI assistants, to which 44% of mentions are devoted. Users are looking for ways to transform AI from a “talking” tool to a “doing” one for everyday and financial tasks. VTB documents the transformation of the role of a person who becomes an orchestrator of AI agents: he formulates goals, distributes tasks and makes final decisions, but this creates the risk of cognitive overload. The bank predicts that in the future there will be meta-agents capable of coordinating other digital assistants and taking on a significant part of operational control.

At the same time, a polarization of perception is recorded: in 20% of discussions, users consider AI agents to be the already established norm, while 11% of opinions express disappointment due to high expectations and aggressive marketing. Technical aspects, including architecture, choice of platforms and frameworks, are discussed in only 7% of posts. Another 3% of discussions are devoted to philosophical issues – from the possibility of the emergence of general artificial intelligence to the hypothetical consciousness of AI.

VTB emphasizes that the skepticism of part of the audience is justified, and the use of AI services in the financial market requires turning to major players with proven expertise in order to minimize the risks of data leaks and fraud.