Do X For Me - How Boring is Getting Relegated
Is Your Fintech AI-Responsive?
Hi one-fs crew 👋
Back from a short break – and what a couple of weeks it’s been.
First, a strong showing at the Dubai Fintech Summit. Great to meet many of you there. You could feel it - the UAE and the wider region are building something special.
Here’s what’s been catching my eye lately:
Saudi’s $40B bet on AI 🇸🇦
Saudi Arabia launched Humain, a national AI company backed by a staggering $40 billion. They’ve partnered with AWS and Nvidia to build 500-megawatt AI factories across the Kingdom.
⚡️ UAE responds with a 5-gigawatt data cluster
Not to be outdone, the UAE unveiled Stargate UAE, a 10-square-mile AI supercluster in Abu Dhabi. Backed by OpenAI, G42, Nvidia, Cisco and Oracle, it’ll host up to 5 gigawatts of compute – 10x Saudi’s capacity 🤯
Free ChatGPT access for all UAE residents
In a move to democratise AI, the UAE also announced free access to ChatGPT nationwide. Details still fuzzy on the plan level, but the intent is clear - get everyone onboard, fast. See my Linkedin post about it.
Google IO’s “Buy For Me” changes the game
At Google IO, AI took centre stage. The headline: “Buy For Me” - a new feature that delegates ecommerce checkouts to your AI assistant. From address forms to expired coupon codes, the agent now handles it all.
Let’s dive deeper to understand what is happening ⬇️
Do X For Me - A New Paradigm
If you’ve been reading one-fs for a while, this won’t come as a surprise. Back in November, I wrote about the coming wave of agentic AI - how websites must adapt for agent traffic rather than human users.
Human visits are slowly being replaced. The web is shifting from being mobile-responsive to being AI-responsive.
Here’s what that means in practice.
What is AI-Responsive Design?
It’s not about pretty UIs. It’s about structure and access.
✅ Can an AI scrape and extract structured information quickly?
✅ Can it perform actions without friction or noise?
✅ Can it complete a full flow without hitting a CAPTCHA?
The parallels with the mobile era are clear. Just as brands once scrambled to make sites mobile-friendly, fintechs today must optimise for AI agents.
That means ditching complexity, embracing transparency, and building for speed. Especially in fintech, where user agents will increasingly act on behalf of real customers.
Check also this previous one-fs post on this subject: https://www.one-fs.com/i/154092281/a-new-paradigm
Google’s “Buy For Me” and the death of the funnel
This week’s Google IO showcased what’s coming: the end of clunky ecommerce checkout.
Buy For Me strips the final step of friction. The AI adds your size, applies the promo code, fills in your card and confirms the order. All without your input.
Yes, it opens up new risks (wrong orders, chargebacks, disputes: “It wasn’t me, it was my agent”). But the broader signal is stronger:
The boring bits are being outsourced.
Welcome to the agentic web.
And the generational gap is real. Older users still don’t trust mobile for big purchases. Gen Z and Alpha, however, are already comfortable letting AI do the buying.
People are using AI as their OS
Sam Altman put it best:
“Older people use ChatGPT like Google. People in their 20s use it as a life advisor. People in college use it as an operating system.”
This matters because Gen Z now makes up 30% of the global workforce. They’re earning, spending, and shaping expectations. Fintechs that build for them will win.
What It Means to Be AI-Responsive
Here’s your checklist:
Know your site might never be seen by a human.
Favour speed and information clarity above all else.
Avoid shady tactics and dark patterns – transparency is king.
Minimise clicks. Bundle everything on one page.
APIs > apps. Let agents plug in, not just humans.
Consider building an MCP (Model Context Platform) server for deep integration.
Don’t compete with AI agents. Don’t build chatbots that only talk to other bots.
And perhaps most critically:
Don’t block AI traffic. Drop the CAPTCHAs unless absolutely necessary.
That’s my take on it!
Thanks for reading. Hit reply if you’ve got thoughts – or DM me here if you’re on the web.
About Dom Monhardt, founder of one-fs.com
I am a French technologist and product leader living in Dubai, with 15+ years of experience in building cutting-edge and innovative digital experiences.
I am interested in the intersection of business, design, and technology and am deeply passionate about the fintech and digital banking world.