Consumers are moving beyond using AI to research financial products, with growing confidence in AI agents supporting parts of the lending journey, creating new opportunities and challenges for financial institutions.  

Key findings

• 54% of consumers are comfortable with AI agents applying for credit on their behalf.
• 82% trust AI to compare loans across providers.
• 85% believe AI agents could help compare more options than they could manually.
• 84% believe AI agents could help them find better prices or rates.
• 75% would feel more comfortable using an LLM connected to a financial institution they already trust.

JOHANNESBURG: Consumers are ready to take the next step in their relationship with artificial intelligence (AI), according to AI in Risk: The Rise of Agentic Commerce, new research from data and technology company, Experian, conducted by Forrester Consulting.

The study of 6,247 credit-active consumers across 13 EMEA and Asia Pacific markets, found that more than half (54%) of respondents are comfortable with AI agents applying for credit on their behalf. The findings point to the next stage in the evolution of financial services, where consumers are becoming comfortable allowing AI to move beyond providing information to supporting parts of the lending journey, including comparing lenders, checking eligibility, completing applications and securely submitting authorised documents.

"Consumers are already changing the way they engage with financial services," said Mariana Pinheiro, Chief Executive Officer, Experian EMEA & Asia Pacific. "They are not just experimenting with AI anymore; they are beginning to trust it with more meaningful parts of their financial lives. Our research shows that 82% of the surveyed respondents already trust LLMs to compare loans across providers. For banks and lenders, the question is no longer whether AI will influence the next step of that journey, but how to prepare for it while continuing to earn and protect consumer trust. What began as using LLMs to better understand financial products is already moving towards asking AI agents to help them navigate complex financial journeys.”

Consumers are Embracing AI because it Makes Financial Decisions Easier

The research found that 85% of the survey respondents believe AI agents could help them compare more options than they could manually, while 84% say AI could help them save money by finding better prices or rates. A further 83% believe AI agents could help them avoid missing important details such as hidden fees or contract terms, while 81% believe AI could reduce decision fatigue by handling research and routine tasks on their behalf.

The research also shows that consumers have different comfort levels when it comes to how much autonomy they would give an AI agent. For credit applications, many still want to retain oversight, while other are open to greater delegation: 23% would allow an agent to act when certain pre-agreed rules are met, while 5% would be comfortable giving it full autonomy.

Trust Will Shape the Next Phase of AI Adoption

Three-quarters (75%) of the respondents said they would feel more comfortable using AI connected to a financial institution they already trust, highlighting the opportunity for banks and lenders to build AI experiences within trusted customer relationships rather than treating AI as a standalone service.

As AI agents become capable of carrying out more tasks on consumers' behalf, financial institutions will need to start preparing systems that support secure interactions between consumer-side AI agents and lender-side platforms. Identity verification, consent management, fraud prevention and explainability will become critical as AI-assisted customer journeys continue to evolve.

Experian is helping financial institutions prepare for this evolution through advanced identity, fraud prevention and decisioning capabilities, including Agent Trust, which enables secure interactions between consumers, AI agents and businesses while helping organisations build trusted AI-assisted financial services.

Methodology

Experian commissioned Forrester Consulting in [July 2026] to survey 6,247 credit-active digitally literate consumers across 13 EMEA and Asia Pacific markets: Australia, China, Denmark, Germany, India, Italy, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, Spain and Turkey.

About Experian

Experian is a global data and technology company, powering opportunities for people and businesses around the world. We help to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, deliver digital marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market, all using our unique combination of data, analytics and platforms. We also assist millions of people to realise their financial goals and help them to save time and money.

We operate across a range of markets, from financial services to healthcare, automotive, agrifinance, insurance, and many more industry segments.

We invest in talented people and new advanced technologies to unlock the power of data and to innovate. A FTSE 100 Index company listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN), we have a team of 25,200 people across 33 countries. Our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more at experianplc.com.

Fonte: Business Wire