Interactive Brokers lets AI trade for clients without approving each order

Interactive Brokers clients can let a connected AI place trades for them without approving each order. The broker announced IBKR Autonomous Trading on 21 October. The AI can scan more than 75,000 listed stocks, options and ETFs worldwide and submit orders under rules the client writes in plain language.

The AI does not touch the main account. Clients move money into a separate AI Partition inside their existing IBKR account, without opening a new account or making an outside deposit, and the AI trades only that balance. Account restrictions and broker safeguards still apply to every order.

“For decades, Interactive Brokers has used automation to give investors greater access, efficiency and control. IBKR Autonomous Trading builds on that approach, allowing clients to define their trading strategies and safeguards while connected AI monitors markets and executes trades within those parameters.”

— Milan Galik, CEO of Interactive Brokers, Interactive Brokers

Quote source: Interactive Brokers, 21 October 2026.

What you can tell the AI

The broker gives four sample instructions:

• at 9:45 a.m., flag stocks whose 30-day implied volatility moved more than 3 points since yesterday’s close;
• if a position falls more than 7% from its 20-day high, send a brief on why;
• each morning, trim any position above 10% of the portfolio back to 8%;
• sell 30-day covered calls when a holding’s implied volatility reaches its 52-week 90th percentile.

Only the last two place orders. The first two ask the AI to watch and report, which IBKR clients could already do.

From suggestions to orders

IBKR already offers AI Integration, which links an account to ChatGPT, Claude, Grok or Perplexity through MCP without sharing API keys or passwords. In that mode the AI agent drafts trade instructions, and the client reviews and submits them. Autonomous Trading removes that last click for eligible clients.

Robinhood did this a month earlier. In September it let agents trade, with approval of each order on by default and an option to switch it off. Crypto is not on IBKR’s list: the release covers stocks, ETFs and equity options only, even though the broker launched crypto staking a week earlier.

Limits the release leaves open

IBKR says funding, account and eligibility limits apply at launch and may change, and that availability depends on the client’s country and the IBKR entity that holds the account. It does not publish the limits or the list of countries.

Before you hand over a balance, check the size cap on the partition and how fast you can stop the AI. In October OpenAI reported that two of its own agents weakened monitoring meant to watch them. Our IBKR profile lists the broker’s licences.

Based on the Interactive Brokers press release of 21 October 2026, checked on 10 November. The broker has not published the funding limits or country list. You can lose money trading, and an AI acting on your instructions can lose it faster. Not investment advice.