[Federal Reserve's Kashkari: Current monetary policy is close to neutral, labor market remains quite resilient] BlockBeats News, February 19, 2026 FOMC voting member and Minneapolis Fed President Kashkari stated that the labor market remains quite resilient. Although it has slowed down, it is still 'good or even quite good.' Current monetary policy is close to neutral. He expressed optimism about artificial intelligence, noting that almost all businesses are discovering the benefits of using AI. Artificial intelligence may boost productivity in the next 5 to 10 years. The Federal Reserve adopts a cautious approach when using AI internally and has established strong safeguards to prevent access to confidential data.