A new report from credit bureau Experian and a major strategic partnership between AI risk platform Feedzai and advisory firm Matrix USA underscore the accelerating and critical integration of artificial intelligence into core financial services, from lending to fraud prevention.
Experian's "Perceptions of AI Report," based on a survey of over 200 decision-makers at banks and lenders, reveals overwhelming institutional enthusiasm for AI. 84% of participants view AI as critical or a top priority for their strategy over the next two years. In lending specifically, 89% believe AI will be essential across the entire loan lifecycle, from application to risk management, promising increased efficiency, sharper credit assessments, and stronger safeguards.
However, the path to adoption faces significant hurdles. 73% of leaders expressed concern about the regulatory framework for AI, while 65% cited preparing "AI-ready" data as a major obstacle. Vijay Mehta, Experian's Executive Vice President, emphasized the demand for transparent, explainable AI systems to meet compliance and build trust, highlighting Experian's own Ascend Platform as an example of AI delivering proactive insights.
Simultaneously, the financial crime prevention sector is responding to the threat of AI-enabled fraudsters. Feedzai and Matrix USA announced a global alliance to deploy AI-driven fraud and anti-money laundering (AML) defenses. The partnership combines Feedzai's AI-native RiskOps platform with Matrix USA's implementation and integration expertise, centered around a jointly operated Center of Excellence designed to provide a repeatable framework for global deployments.
The urgency is driven by Feedzai's research indicating that more than half of fraudsters are already using AI to scale attacks. Nuno Sebastião, Feedzai's CEO, stated, "AI has changed the fraud landscape forever." The partnership aims to help institutions modernize defenses without disrupting operations, a critical need as 53% of fraud professionals reportedly consider leaving their roles due to inadequate AI tools.
