AI use increases alongside plummeting consumer trust
A new report from Ping Identity finds that 68 percent of consumers are now using AI, up from 41 percent a year ago. But at the same time fewer than one in five (17 percent) say they have ‘full trust’ in the organizations that manage their identity data.
The findings of the study, carried out by Talker Research which interviewed 10,500 consumers across 11 countries, show that 75 percent say they are more concerned about personal data security than five years ago. In addition 39 percent cite AI-driven phishing as the modern scam that concerns them most.
“Consumer confidence in brands is eroding as we enter a ‘trust nothing’ era fueled by AI-enabled fraud,” says Darryl Jones, vice president of consumer segment strategy at Ping Identity. “AI and the rise of agents is compounding the attack on trust, making threats more persuasive and harder to detect, which raises the stakes for identity verification and protection. The brands that will thrive are the ones that make trust their top priority through stronger authentication, AI-transparency, and identity-first security.”
The report finds that people want safeguards, 73 percent believe government regulation of AI to protect their identity data is important. However, 52 percent say they don’t feel sufficiently informed or protected from scams by guidance from safety organizations or government institutions, suggesting more need for education. Only 23 percent feel very confident in their ability to determine whether something is legitimate or a scam.
When asked about what firms could do better 34 percent report biometric authentication and 33 percent cite multi-factor authentication as the top features that would increase their trust in online brands. Financial fraud (25 percent) and account take-over (21 percent) are the most common scams experienced, many of which could have been prevented through using biometrics. Reflecting this, the leading change people want in the login experience is more biometrics (21 percent).
You can find out more on the Ping Identity blog.
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