A bank operations depth matrix lists each capability an AI agent might hold across a bank's operations, from card blocks to payment release, and records for each one the ceiling the agent's role allows, the depth certification has proven, the effective depth (the lower of the two), the bounds that apply and who receives held work.
What does the matrix show that a list of agents does not?
A list of agents tells you who exists. A depth matrix tells you what each capability may do today and why. That matters in a bank, because the same agent can be safe to act alone on one task and unsafe on the next. A servicing agent may unblock a card on its own and still need a person for every change of address.
Depth is how far an agent may act for a capability: 1 read, 2 draft for a person, 3 execute routine work within bounds, 4 move money or take hard-to-undo actions, 5 coordinate other agents. The matrix applies those levels to banking work specifically. For the general form, use the capability and depth matrix template for an AI agent; this one is pre-shaped for bank operations.
When should you use it?
Build it during deployment planning, before the first agent goes live, and keep it as a live record afterwards. Operations heads use it to see where people are still needed. Risk uses it to check that no capability sits above its certified depth. Internal audit uses it as a map for sampling.
It also gives a realistic view of timing. Each row that needs depth 3 needs its own certification set, and those sets are most of the work in how long it takes to deploy an AI agent in a bank.
How do you fill in each column?
- Area and capability. One verb per row. "Block card" and "unblock card" are separate rows; their risks differ.
- Role ceiling. The highest depth the agent's role allows.
- Certified depth. The depth on the agent's certificate, from its latest run on your cases.
- Effective depth. The lower of the two. This is what the agent actually holds.
- Bounds. Amounts, counts, customer segments, times of day.
- Held to. The named team or role that receives drafts and held actions.
- Certificate expiry. Certificates lapse after 90 days; record the date.
Leave a row at "withheld" where no agent should ever act, whatever the evidence.
The bank operations depth matrix template
| Area | Capability | Role ceiling | Certified depth | Effective depth | Bounds | Held to | Certificate expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounts | |||||||
| Cards | |||||||
| Payments | |||||||
| Lending | |||||||
| Collections | |||||||
| Financial crime | |||||||
| Complaints |
A worked sample: a retail bank's first year
| Area | Capability | Ceiling | Certified | Effective | Bounds | Held to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounts | Answer balance and transaction queries | 3 | 3 | 3 | Verified customer only | Not applicable |
| Accounts | Change correspondence address | 3 | 2 | 2 | All changes held | Account servicing |
| Cards | Block a card on customer request | 3 | 3 | 3 | Verified customer | Not applicable |
| Cards | Unblock a card | 3 | 3 | 3 | Only if blocked by customer, not by fraud team | Card operations |
| Cards | Order replacement card | 3 | 3 | 3 | Registered address only | Card operations |
| Payments | Prepare payment trace request | 2 | 2 | 2 | All | Payments operations |
| Payments | Release payment held for fraud checks | Withheld | Fraud team | |||
| Lending | Prepare credit application file | 2 | 2 | 2 | All | Underwriting |
| Collections | Agree payment plan | 3 | 2 | 2 | Up to 12 months; not for customers in difficulty | Collections |
| Financial crime | Summarise alert evidence | 2 | 2 | 2 | All | Financial crime analysts |
| Complaints | Draft final response | 2 | 2 | 2 | All | Complaints handlers |
Three readings follow from the sample. Card operations reach depth 3 early because the actions are reversible and well bounded; the case is made in card operations suit depth 3. Collections payment plans have a ceiling of 3 but sit at 2 because the evidence is not there yet, which is the matrix doing its job. Releasing a fraud-held payment is withheld for every agent.
A bank that also runs finance-function agents should keep a separate finance agent depth matrix rather than mixing ledger work into this one.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme calculates effective depth from the role's ceiling and the evidence from Attest, and enforces it at the moment of action. When a certificate lapses or a run fails, the depth drops automatically, and the matrix reflects it. The wider rules are in the guide to AI agents in banking.
Questions people ask
Should one agent hold capabilities in several areas?
It can, but the matrix will show it. Many banks prefer narrower agents per area, because a fault in one area then only affects that area's rows.
Who signs off the matrix?
The head of each operational area signs their rows, and the second line reviews the whole matrix. Re-sign whenever a row's effective depth rises.
What happens to a row when its certificate lapses?
Effective depth falls. A run that clears no depth drops the agent to depth 1 the same day; a lapse removes the certified depth until a new run passes.