Americans still don’t trust banking sector AI use

Key findings

• Just 19% of Americans trust AI in financial services; 48% say they don’t trust it.
• Gen Z shows the most trust (29%), while Gen X is the least trusting (13%).
• Men (23%) are more likely than women (16%) to trust AI in finance.
• 56% of Americans trust AI to flag unusual transactions, the most trusted task.
• Only 10% trust AI to make financial decisions automatically.
• Finance ranks as the least trusted sector for AI, even below healthcare.

Trust in AI banking: Key statistics on who trusts it in 2025

YouGov recently asked Americans how much they trust AI when it is used in different business sectors. Among all sectors we asked about, banking/insurance/financial services came last. Only 20% expressed any level of trust in AI in this sector, which includes 5% who trust AI in finance “a lot” and another 15% who “trust somewhat.” Even healthcare, another high-stakes category, scored higher on trust than finance.

Generational and gender divides in trust

Trust in AI differs significantly by generation. Gen Z is the most open to AI in financial services, with a net of 29% saying they trust it (9% “a lot,” 20% “somewhat”), while Gen X is the most skeptical at 13%. Millenials sit closer to the average (22% trust, 46% don’t). Baby Boomers are slightly more trusting than Gen X. 

Men are somewhat more likely than women to say they trust AI in finance (23% vs. 17%), while women are more likely to say they don’t (51% vs. 44%).

Which financial tasks do Americans trust AI with?

When asked about specific AI tasks, Americans make clear distinctions. Trust is highest for protective functions: 56% say they would trust AI to flag unusual transactions. Just over half (51%) trust AI to compare financial products. But trust drops sharply for higher-stakes tasks: only 29% trust AI to handle customer service inquiries, 16% to move money with approval, and just 10% to make financial decisions automatically.

Gen Z trusts AI in finance more overall, but not for fraud detection

Despite having the highest overall trust in AI for financial services, Gen Z stands out as the least trusting generation when it comes to fraud detection — only 44% trust AI to flag unusual transactions, compared to 64% of Boomers and 59% of Gen X. Gen Z and Millennials are also more open to AI-driven financial advice (50% and 48%, respectively), while just 26% of Boomers trust AI in this role, revealing a sharp generational divide in attitudes toward AI’s involvement in personal finance.

Finance AI trust lags behind other sectors

Despite the growth of AI in all industries, trust in financial AI remains uniquely low. Even sectors like healthcare, where mistakes can have serious consequence, rank higher in consumer confidence. This underscores persistent concerns about AI’s role in managing money and making financial decisions on behalf of consumers