The latest Ping ID Global Consumer Survey shows that the trust between Australian consumers in the organizations that manage their identity is declining as concerns about data security in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).
A survey of 1,000 Australian adults, part of a broader global research project, found that only 11% of Australians have “complete trust” in the organisations responsible for Australian identity data placement among the lowest ranked countries in this regard. This erosion of trust is reflected in the fact that 82% of those surveyed feel more interested in personal data security than they were five years ago.
Increases AI usage
The report shows a significant rise in the use of AI technology, with 61% of Australians reporting that they currently use AI either personally or in the workplace. This increase exceeded the 41% reported globally in 2024. The growth in AI adoption is consistent with growing anxiety. 42% of respondents cited AI-driven phishing as the most concerning modern scam.
Despite this increased involvement with AI, Australians are wary of technology development that outweigh effective safeguards. Only 20% of respondents who are extremely confident in their ability to distinguish between legitimate interactions and fraud highlight what the report describes as the gap between AI adoption and consumer confidence in digital safety.
Trust brands that are nervous
“The trust in Australian consumers' brands is eroded as the global economy approaches an era of “no trust” accelerated by AI-enabled scams,” said Anz Diffey, Vice President of ANZ. “The rise of AI and agents will increase the problem, become more autonomous, persuasive and difficult to detect, which will increase the interests of both businesses and consumers, where robust identity verification and protection is increasingly king.
The growing skepticism of organizational reliability coincides with increasing demand for more robust protection and clearer regulations. Of the respondents, 82% believe that AI-specific government regulations are important to protect online identity data. The prominent concern for 34% of the 34% about insufficient transparency regarding the way AI technology uses and stores personal information is higher than that seen in other countries surveyed.
Additionally, 33% report concerns about personal privacy violations through AI programs. These concerns are reflected in Australians' views on the digital experience and what they need to improve.
Authentication and biometric authentication
When considering ways to increase trust, Australians pointed to stronger certification measures. 47% of those surveyed cited multifactorial authentication as a feature that boosts trust in online brands. Biometric authentication was also identified as a desirable path, with 34% expressing their preferences for biometric solutions and 21% naming more biometric authentication as the change they most want in their login experience.
The report reveals that financial fraud (24%) and account acquisition (21%) are the most commonly reported digital fraud among Australian respondents. We noted that many such incidents could be preventable using additional layers of biometric authentication or security.
Calling for regulations
The findings suggest that there is a strong demand for increased government surveillance in the field of AI and digital identity. The high demand for regulations reflects the degree of consumer anxiety regarding the security of personal data.
The findings back up global change as digital-to-AI-driven interactions become more broad and refined. Australian figures suggest that this transition is creating both opportunities for adoption of new technology and new uncertainties about consumer protection.
The survey was conducted by Talker Research, which interviewed 10,500 consumers around the world as part of the survey, including a sample group from the US, UK, France, Germany, Australia, Singapore, India, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates. Changes in attitudes and experience compared to the previous year are drawn from a comparison with Ping Identity's 2024 consumer survey.
