The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is leveraging artificial intelligence and automation to tackle its expanded responsibilities, according to Chairman Mike Selig's congressional testimony, despite a significant decline in the agency's workforce under the Trump administration. Approximately a quarter of the CFTC's staff has departed since 2025, due to President Trump's demands for federal workforce reductions. However, the CFTC is now tasked with regulating the rapidly growing cryptocurrency and prediction markets. Selig stated that AI tools, such as Microsoft's Copilot, are being utilized to enhance surveillance and investigation capabilities, and that the agency is operating more efficiently despite staffing cuts.
The CFTC is prioritizing enforcement, with a focus on digital assets and prediction markets, where numerous investigations are ongoing. The agency's budget request for the upcoming year includes a modest increase in enforcement staff, but lawmakers have expressed concerns about the agency's ability to effectively regulate these markets with its current resources.