FIS Data Reveals 57% of US Adults Trust AI to Flag Fraud but Demand Human Oversight

The 2026 FIS Consumer Pulse Survey reveals a critical friction point for banks deploying agentic AI: while consumers trust algorithms to protect their funds, they remain deeply skeptical of autonomous spending. For fintech leaders, this data defines the boundaries of "agentic" banking, highlighting a demand for human oversight and refund guarantees in automated financial services.

What was announced

FIS, in collaboration with Kantar, surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults to map the current boundaries of consumer trust regarding artificial intelligence in financial services. The findings indicate a clear preference for defensive AI over proactive financial movement. While 57% of respondents are comfortable with an AI flagging or freezing a suspicious charge without prior permission, only 50% are willing to let an AI execute a transaction without manual approval. This comfort level drops further to 40% when considering AI-driven applications for loans or credit cards.

Trust in these systems is contingent on specific safety nets. According to the data, 58% of consumers require a refund guarantee to trust AI with their money, while 56% demand access to a human who can override automated decisions. The survey also highlights a stark generational divide in adoption readiness; 61% of Millennials are prepared to hand day-to-day money management to AI, contrasted with a mere 3% of adults aged 70 and older.

The urgency for secure AI implementation is underscored by the prevalence of fraud. The report found that 35% of respondents have either been targeted by an AI impersonation scam or know someone who has. Among those personally targeted, the majority reported receiving fake-voice phone calls, suggesting that AI-driven social engineering is already a significant threat to consumer security.

The companies involved

FIS (Fidelity National Information Services) is a global provider of financial technology solutions, serving as a primary backbone for the banking, payments, and capital markets industries. Headquartered in the United States, the company provides the core processing and software infrastructure that enables thousands of financial institutions to manage everything from retail banking to complex institutional trading. FIS operates at a massive scale, providing the underlying rails for trillions of dollars in annual transactions across the globe.

In the current market, FIS is increasingly focused on integrating generative and agentic AI into its product suite to address rising compliance costs and consumer demand for more intuitive digital experiences. This includes developing tools for fraud detection, anti-money laundering, and customer service automation. As a legacy heavyweight in the sector, the firm is tasked with bridging the gap between traditional banking stability and the rapid innovation cycles of cloud-native fintech challengers. Jim Johnson serves as the Co-President of Banking Solutions at FIS, overseeing the firm's strategy as it navigates the rollout of these advanced AI agents.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has tracked FIS’s aggressive push into AI-driven banking throughout late 2026. This includes the launch of an AI-Powered AML Investigations Agent designed to reduce compliance costs for banks. The firm’s research into consumer sentiment is a recurring theme; we recently covered how UK Consumers Hesitant to Yield Financial Control to AI, a trend that mirrors the findings in the latest U.S. survey.

Beyond consumer products, FF News reported on the internal challenges facing the sector, noting that UK Finance Leaders Struggle to Measure AI Value despite high adoption rates. Additionally, we covered significant leadership changes at the firm, including when FIS Names Alexandra Brooks Interim CFO following the departure of James Kehoe.

What this means

The industry is entering a "show me" phase for agentic AI. The data suggests that the "move fast and break things" ethos of early fintech will not survive the transition to autonomous financial agents. Banks and fintechs are under immense pressure to prove that AI is a shield rather than a liability. The demand for human overrides and refund guarantees suggests that the liability framework for AI errors will be the next major regulatory and competitive battleground. If institutions cannot provide a "kill switch" or a financial safety net, the adoption of truly autonomous banking will likely stall at the Millennial-Gen Z border, leaving the wealthiest demographic segments entirely out of the loop.