{"id":892066,"date":"2026-03-14T09:12:59","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T14:12:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/14\/mastercard-bots-target-c-suite-roles\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T09:12:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T14:12:59","slug":"mastercard-bots-target-c-suite-roles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/14\/mastercard-bots-target-c-suite-roles\/","title":{"rendered":"Mastercard bots target C-suite roles"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"content-header\">\n<h2>Card giant offers SMEs a virtual chief financial officer through artificial intelligence technology, with other C-suite roles to follow<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"content-center\">\n<ul>\n<li><i data-icon=\"1\"><\/i><\/li>\n<li><i data-icon=\"2\"><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"contributors-block\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ttgtmedia.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Karl-Flinders-profile-pic-2022-140x180px.jpg\" alt=\"Karl Flinders\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/contributor\/Karl-Flinders\">Karl Flinders,<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\tPublished: <span>11 Mar 2026 16:45<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"content-body\">\n<p>Mastercard is introducing a virtual chief financial officer (CFO), which will be the first of a suite of artificial intelligence (AI) executives aimed at small and medium-sized businesses. Virtual chief marketing officers and virtual chief security officers will follow.<\/p>\n<p>AI has so far automated roles which perform repetitive tasks in businesses, and MasterCard\u2019s Virtual C-Suite aims to offer executive-level decision-making and insight to smaller organisations. This type of capability is normally only found at large organisations with executive teams, but AI can bring some of the capabilities to smaller businesses.<\/p>\n<p>The Mastercard offering will move beyond support for financial decision-making, as the card giant plans to introduce other AI-powered executive functions which small businesses often lack, such as marketing and security.<\/p>\n<p>The Virtual C-Suite is an extension of Mastercard\u2019s Agent Suite. The AI executives will be built using insights from the billions of transactions processed on the card firm\u2019s network each year, combined with a business\u2019 individual financial activity. Human executives will be able to ask the AI executives direct questions.<\/p>\n<p>Christopher Miller, lead analyst at Javelin Strategy &#038; Research, said: \u201cAgents that offer big picture insights combined with unique and local analysis are becoming a critical human augmentation tool. Insights at this level have been available to large enterprises for years, and agentic AI creates the opportunity for smaller organisations to benefit moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The software integrates AI-powered intelligence to the accounting systems, business software and banking applications already used by small businesses. It will analyse the business performance and make predictions and recommendations.<\/p>\n<p>According to the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britishchambers.org.uk\/news\/2025\/09\/turning-point-as-more-smes-unlock-ai\/\">35% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are actively using AI technology<\/a>, which was up from 25% in 2024. More than 1,500 business leaders were surveyed online by the BCC\u2019s Insights Unit in June and July last year.<\/p>\n<p>But the survey found that only 11% of SMEs are using technology to a great extent to automate or streamline operations, while 42% said they are using it to some extent, 29% to a minimal extent, and 14% not at all.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>When the survey was published in September, Shevaun Haviland, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: \u201cOur data shows more SMEs are plugging into AI \u2013 and that\u2019s really encouraging news for the UK\u2019s economic future.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe pace of technological change is speeding up, not slowing down, and it\u2019s crucial that all businesses are part of the digital revolution. Our survey shows the picture is not equal across all sectors and firms aren\u2019t yet using the technology to its full potential.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Commenting on the BCC survey, Department for Business and Trade minister Blair McDougall said: \u201cOften the discussion about AI focuses on huge multinationals, but this shows that the smaller businesses, who contribute so much to our economy, are a central part of the AI innovation story too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAI transformation is a crucial part of our mission to kickstart economic growth. We will continue to back businesses through our Plan for Change to improve productivity, boost competitiveness and drive prosperity across the UK.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"DigDeeperSplash\">\n<h4>\n\t\t\t<i data-icon=\"m\"><\/i>Read more on IT for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366634596\/Fintech-leaders-call-for-united-front-against-AI-driven-cyber-crime\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero Images\/Crime-arrest-handcuffs-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/Crime-arrest-handcuffs-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/Crime-arrest-handcuffs-adobe.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>Fintech leaders call for united front against AI-driven cyber crime<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Aaron-Tan-Computer-Weekly-2025-140x180px.jpg\" alt=\"AaronTan\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Aaron\u00a0Tan<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366551076\/Saudi-Arabian-fintech-gets-Mastercard-boost\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/HeroImages\/Riyadh-City-Saudi-Arabia-Wasim-Alnahlawi-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/HeroImages\/Riyadh-City-Saudi-Arabia-Wasim-Alnahlawi-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/HeroImages\/Riyadh-City-Saudi-Arabia-Wasim-Alnahlawi-adobe.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>Saudi Arabian fintech gets Mastercard boost<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Karl-Flinders-profile-pic-2022-140x180px.jpg\" alt=\"KarlFlinders\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Karl\u00a0Flinders<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/microscope\/news\/366542952\/Ignition-Technology-lands-Mastercard-relationship\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero Images\/Mastercard-paying-bill-with-card-hero_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/Mastercard-paying-bill-with-card-hero_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/Mastercard-paying-bill-with-card-hero.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>Ignition Technology lands Mastercard relationship<\/h5>\n<p><span>By: <span>Simon\u00a0Quicke<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/252525418\/Robo-investment-platform-adopts-open-banking-based-payments\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/German\/article\/analytics-data-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/German\/article\/analytics-data-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/German\/article\/analytics-data-adobe.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>Robo investment platform adopts open banking-based payments<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Karl-Flinders-profile-pic-2022-140x180px.jpg\" alt=\"KarlFlinders\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Karl\u00a0Flinders<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366639928\/MasterCard-bots-target-C-suite-roles\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><br \/>\n Laine Grumbles<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Card giant offers SMEs a virtual chief financial officer through artificial intelligence technology, with other C-suite roles to follow By Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA Published: 11 Mar 2026 16:45 Mastercard is introducing a virtual chief financial officer (CFO), which will be the first of a suite of artificial intelligence (AI) executives<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":892068,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[107,30929,46],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-892066","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-target","8":"category-mastercard","9":"category-technology"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=892066"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892066\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/892068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=892066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=892066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=892066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}