Our latest Finextra global survey report ‘AI in Action: Global Survey on fraud and financial crime’, produced in association with ACI Worldwide, is now available to download.
Editorial
This content has been selected, created and edited by the Finextra editorial team based upon its relevance and interest to our community.
The research, based on a survey of 154 global industry leaders, revealed real-world insights on how AI is transforming fraud strategies worldwide, and how your organisation can lead the way:
Over half (51%) of organisations are already live with AI, and a near equal half (47%) have go-live capabilities planned within the next 24 months.
Despite fraud accelerating at unprecedented levels, the majority rely on human oversight for AI-powered decision making, increasing costs and limiting full operational resilience.
Only one in five firms report sufficient in-house data science expertise, driving reliance on outsourcing and cloud platforms.
As institutions upscale their AI capabilities for fraud prevention, compliance remains the top internal challenge. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, 90% feel prepared for emerging AI legislation.
Data privacy risks in AI training emerges as the top global AI-driven threat, overtaking fraud itself, with 85% valuing data or intelligence exchange — reinforcing its central role in modern fraud prevention strategies.
Securing payment environments (42%) remains the primary focus for the next 12 months, while customer experience objectives score far lower. Organisations must balance long-term strategic growth with short-term operational resilience.
Gary Wright, managing director, Finextra Research commented: “Our survey results highlight how AI is no longer a future ambition — it’s a business imperative for fraud and financial crime prevention. Success will depend on strategic investments in infrastructure, trusted partnerships, and robust data governance, not just technology alone. Organisations that get this balance right will not only mitigate risk but gain a competitive edge. We are delighted to share these insights alongside our sponsor, ACI Worldwide, to help our global members navigate this increasingly complex landscape.”
Adriana Iordan, head of merchant and payments intelligence product management, ACI Worldwide said: “This report marks a pivotal moment for the payments industry: AI is no longer optional — it’s essential to combat increasingly sophisticated fraud. With 98% of organisations pursuing advanced AI initiatives, the urgency to balance innovation with trust and compliance has never been greater.
“At ACI Worldwide, we see this as an opportunity to lead with purpose — combining real-time AI decisioning, ethical data practices, and secure intelligence sharing to build resilience at scale. The future of payments belongs to those who harness AI not just to fight fraud, but to deliver frictionless, trusted customer experiences. These findings aren’t just about protecting transactions — they’re about safeguarding growth and trust in a rapidly evolving digital economy.”
Don’t miss the insights that global financial leaders are already using to shape their fraud prevention frameworks.
The full report, including region specific takeaways and actionable recommendations, is available to download here.