AI is entering everyday digital life faster than people feel comfortable with it. New research from Thales highlights where trust is fraying—and what can help restore it.
Key findings from the Thales 2026 Digital Trust Index
Thales surveyed more than 15,000 people across 13 industries and found a wide gap between organizational AI plans and consumer confidence:
- 93% of IT leaders report they are using, deploying, or planning AI initiatives.
- Only 23% of consumers trust companies to handle their data responsibly when using AI.
- 77% of respondents worry that AI agents might act on their behalf online without proper oversight.
- 66% of users admit sharing or borrowing credentials because account provisioning is slow or difficult.
Where trust breaks down: onboarding, access and data use
The index highlights sign-up and login moments as critical trust checkpoints. Many users prefer stronger security even if it slows access: 45% favor stricter checks despite longer sign-ups, while just 22% prioritize speed over safeguards. Only around one in six people say they fully understand how firms collect and use their personal data, signaling a transparency gap that undermines confidence.
Which sectors are trusted—and which are not
Banks remain the most trusted institutions for personal data, with 57% of respondents expressing confidence. Government services (40%) and healthcare (35%) follow, while most other sectors fall well below 25% trust. The automotive sector stands out with just 3% trust for data collection, underlining consumer resistance to pervasive vehicle telemetry.
Passkeys, visible security and the adoption gap
Authentication tools that make security obvious are earning trust. A strong majority of respondents say passkeys improve confidence in online accounts, yet deployment lags: many organizations recognize passkeys as important but fewer actually offer them. This mismatch presents both risk and opportunity for businesses seeking to modernize login flows.
Fraud trends and bot threats—insights from LexisNexis
Complementary research from LexisNexis points to a rising fraud environment that complicates trust-building:
- Global fraud increased, driven by sectors like gaming, ecommerce and cost-of-living pressures.
- Synthetic identity fraud is growing rapidly, becoming a major fraud vector in many regions.
- Malicious bot activity jumped significantly; bots are increasingly able to mimic realistic human interactions to evade detection.
- First-party customer fraud remains a leading cause of reported incidents, highlighting internal and customer-side risks.
Both reports emphasize the need to distinguish human users from automated agents and to assess intent—not just origin—when evaluating risk.
Why this matters
Trust determines whether people will adopt new services, share accurate data, and accept automated tools acting on their behalf. When authentication is slow or opaque, users bypass safeguards, reuse credentials, or abandon sign-up processes—weakening security and increasing fraud exposure. Organizations that fail to align AI deployment with clear controls and transparent data practices risk eroding customer relationships and inviting new attack types.
Practical steps organizations can take
- Make security visible: show users what protections are in place during onboarding and login to reinforce confidence.
- Adopt modern authentication: expand passkey availability and promote password-less options to reduce credential sharing.
- Balance friction and risk: tune checks to the context—stronger verification where risk is higher, smoother flows where appropriate.
- Explain data use clearly: provide concise, accessible explanations of how data is collected, stored and used, especially with AI systems.
- Detect intent and agents: invest in solutions that separate human behavior from bot or agent activity and share threat intelligence across partners.
Conclusion
The Thales index shows a technology mismatch: rapid AI rollout meets cautious users. Rebuilding trust will require visible protections, clearer data practices, and modern authentication that reduces friction without sacrificing safety. Companies that close the gap between what they offer and what users expect can turn trust into a competitive advantage.