Jessica Rusu, who holds the FCA's top position overseeing data, information and AI, says interest is high even though AI companies can offer bigger paychecks. Candidates, she added, are drawn by the chance to tackle "fascinating and interesting problems" at the regulator.
"We have two senior leadership roles in the market now and we have had hundreds of really high quality applications," she said in an interview. Rusu joined the FCA in 2021 following over 20 years in the private sector.
One post will lead agentic AI and data science research on the FCA's senior leadership team, with a London salary of £140,000 to £190,000 (listed as $186,000 to $253,000) or £126,000 to £171,000 in Leeds or Edinburgh. The regulator is also hiring someone to lead its AI and technology security operations department, on the same range. Both roles have recently closed for applications.
These hires are part of the FCA's push to be a global leader in AI regulation, by both applying the technology internally and supervising how it is used across the 35,500 firms it oversees.
With finance and technology changing all the time, get the free Market Briefs newsletter that explains markets in minutes
Rusu, speaking in London at a Bloomberg event on Monday, said the FCA is building AI tools to oversee anti-money-laundering controls at 60,000 additional firms under a new duty that takes effect from 2028. She also noted the regulator is using automated, agentic AI to oversee approximately 9,000 small firms in the wholesale market that file transaction reports.
The FCA is monitoring how financial firms use AI and promoting good practices. Rusu urged companies "to help consumers understand the limits of financial information and advice generated by their models through clear, proportionate and consistent disclaimers."
She said the watchdog collaborates with firms on strengthening cyber defense and managing AI risks, and she pointed to security concerns flagged earlier this year about Anthropic's Mythos model. "AI is moving faster than any regulatory framework was designed," Rusu said. "That means regulators will increasingly need to make judgments without precedent, while ensuring that trust remains at the heart of financial services." She added that AI-enabled fraud is rising, including deep fake videos pushing fake investment opportunities, and said that with unlimited resources, "we would go after more and more financial crime." For investors, the signal is clear: scrutiny of AI in finance is expanding alongside efforts to counter AI-enabled fraud.
When regulation and innovation intersect, sign up for the free Market Briefs newsletter to get concise daily context on markets and economy
