Starling Bank has launched its free, agentic AI-powered Starling Assistant for all business customers. The in-app tool is designed to reduce administrative work, help small businesses manage everyday transactions, detect potential scams, and provide personalised financial insights.
Unlike a standard chatbot, Starling Assistant can respond to banking instructions and complete more complex tasks. Its initial capabilities include:
Tax ring-fencing: Business owners can ask the assistant to set aside a specific percentage of previous earnings for tax. For example, it can calculate 20% of the previous month’s income and move the funds into a dedicated Space.
Invoice fraud protection: The assistant can help identify suspicious supplier invoices, including cases where payment details have changed. It can prompt business owners to contact the supplier directly before making a payment.
Making Tax Digital guidance: Sole traders and landlords can receive guidance on whether they are likely to be affected by Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. The tool can also direct users to relevant HMRC resources.
Receipt tracking: Later this year, the assistant will be able to extract information from receipts and match it with transaction data. Businesses will then be able to ask questions about spending, such as the amount spent on materials for a particular job.
The launch comes as businesses face growing risks from invoice fraud. According to the information provided by Starling, UK businesses lost more than £41 million to invoice fraud in 2025. By combining transaction data with conversational support, the bank aims to help customers make more informed decisions before transferring funds.
Harriet Rees, Group Chief Information Officer at Starling, said the assistant would automate routine tasks and simplify financial management for small businesses. Starling’s own research suggests that wider adoption of digital financial tools could contribute £25.3 billion to the UK economy through increased small-business growth.
Starling plans to expand the assistant throughout the remainder of 2026. Upcoming features include integration with Starling’s accounting software, allowing users to instruct the assistant to create and send invoices, as well as additional tools released weekly in response to customer requests.
The launch places Starling among the banks using agentic AI to move beyond information services and support practical, automated financial workflows for business customers.