Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev told CNBC on Thursday that AI agents will soon match human trader capabilities, following the company's May unveiling of tools allowing AI agents to trade stocks on users' behalf. Tenev stated the goal is giving everyday people access to the same automated trading power institutional investors have enjoyed for decades. The prediction comes as tech giants including OpenAI and Anthropic race to develop agentic AI technology that can autonomously execute tasks for users.
Robinhood CEO Predicts AI Agents Will Match Human Trading Capabilities
"The idea behind agentic trading...[is] every capability a human can do will be available to an AI agent," Tenev told CNBC's Karen Tso on Thursday. He noted that a large portion of trades are already automated and AI powered among institutional players, stating, "I was doing programmatic trading as an institutional player before starting Robinhood, and what you don't realize is a large portion of trades are already automated and AI powered."
Tenev added that "that type of intelligence and complexity has been out of reach from everyday people." He described the end state of agentic trading at Robinhood as giving "the everyday person access to the same tools, the same computation, the same power that institutional investors in high-frequency trading firms have been enjoying for several decades."
Robinhood unveiled tools in May that allow AI agents to trade stocks and make purchases on users' behalf.
Robinhood Launches Crypto Trading in U.K.
On Wednesday, Robinhood said it would launch crypto trading in the U.K. as it expanded its offering in Europe. The company serves nearly 28 million customers across 38 countries and three continents, according to a company statement.
Robinhood Stocks Rise 2% in Thursday Premarket Trading
Shares of Robinhood were up around 2% in Thursday premarket trading after an 8% pop on Wednesday, taking the group's market cap to $98 billion at close. Shares are down around 5% in 2026.
In April, Robinhood missed expectations for first-quarter profit as crypto-driven market volatility weighed on trading activity. Market conditions have since improved, with easing Middle East tensions and strong equity markets supporting retail trading activity.
That same month, Robinhood announced it would act as a broker and trustee for the yet-to-be-released Trump Accounts, in partnership with U.S. Treasury and BNY Mellon. "The goal is to make this the best consumer product that the government's ever been associated with," said Tenev.
Robinhood Cuts 10% of Workforce Earlier This Month
Earlier this month, Robinhood cut 10% of its workforce as it looked to operate more efficiently. "Robinhood's business has never been stronger," CEO Vlad Tenev said in a note to employees shared on social media platform X. "We cannot default to operating as a heavily-layered organization. We must be a lean, hyper-focused team," he added.
FAQ
What did Robinhood announce about AI agent trading?
Robinhood unveiled tools in May that allow AI agents to trade stocks and make purchases on users' behalf. CEO Vlad Tenev told CNBC on Thursday that AI agents will soon have the capability to match human traders, with the goal of giving everyday people access to the same automated trading tools institutional investors have used for decades.
How did Robinhood stocks perform in Thursday premarket trading?
Shares of Robinhood were up around 2% in Thursday premarket trading after an 8% increase on Wednesday. The company's market cap reached $98 billion at close on Wednesday. Shares are down around 5% in 2026.
