Finextra & ACI Worldwide Release New Survey Report on the Global State of Fraud and Financial Crime

Why It Matters

The findings reveal that AI is now a mandatory capability for fraud defense, shaping investment priorities and regulatory readiness across the payments ecosystem.

Key Takeaways

• 51% of firms already using AI for fraud
• 47% plan AI go‑live within 24 months
• Only 20% have sufficient in‑house data‑science expertise
• Compliance is top internal challenge as AI scales
• 85% view data‑privacy risk as biggest AI threat

Pulse Analysis

The Finextra‑ACI Worldwide survey underscores a pivotal shift: AI is no longer a pilot project but a core component of fraud and financial crime strategies. With 51% of respondents already live on AI‑based detection and another 47% slated to launch within 24 months, the pace of adoption outstrips the development of internal expertise. Only one in five firms claim adequate data‑science talent, prompting heavy reliance on outsourced models and cloud platforms, which can inflate costs and dilute control over decision‑making.

Compliance emerges as the dominant internal obstacle as institutions scale AI capabilities. While 90% of participants feel prepared for impending AI legislation, the need to embed robust governance, ethical data handling, and transparent model validation remains critical. Data‑privacy concerns now top the list of AI‑driven threats, with 85% flagging it as the most pressing risk, indicating that regulators and customers alike will scrutinize how training data is sourced and protected.

Strategically, the report signals that firms must align AI investments with broader operational resilience and customer experience goals. Securing payment environments is prioritized by 42% of respondents for the next year, yet the lower emphasis on frictionless user journeys suggests a gap that innovators can exploit. Companies that combine real‑time AI decisioning with trusted data‑sharing partnerships will not only mitigate fraud losses but also differentiate themselves in a market where trust and speed are paramount.