In 2025, Professor Gillespie and the University of Melbourne, in collaboration with KPMG, released a global study that found Australians are concerned about the use of AI, with acceptance, adoption and literacy lower than in other developed countries.
“Our survey of more than 48,000 people across 47 countries reveals that while Australians are optimistic about the benefits of AI, they are also mindful of the risks. This is why four in five Australians say they would be more trusting of the use of AI if practices were in place to ensure its responsible and ethical use,” Professor Gillespie said.
The AI Attitude Barometer builds on this global context and provides new insights into attitudes towards AI in banking and financial services.
Mr Mailer said early insights suggest Australians’ overall sentiment towards AI in the banking industry is in line with their views on AI in general. “Many Australians are aware of the benefits, but some are still not convinced,” he says.
The proportion of participants who felt that AI brought more risks than benefits was lower in banking than in sectors such as media, arts, entertainment, healthcare, and education.
Many Australians also recognize the value that AI can bring to banking. Almost one in two participants (45%) agreed that banks that use AI can deliver better customer outcomes than banks that do not use AI.
“Australians recognize the value that AI can bring to banking, particularly when it is used to protect customers in areas such as fraud and fraud detection and cybersecurity,” Mr Mailer said.
When it comes to banking services using AI, participants emphasized the importance of responsible operations. Nearly seven in 10 (69%) participants said they would be more likely to use a bank if they knew employees were trained in the safe, ethical and responsible use of AI.
“AI Attitudes Barometer helps us stay connected to our customers’ actual experiences and support them as their adoption progresses,” added Mailer.
These early insights into thinking about AI in banking came as CommBank released a report outlining its approach to AI implementation.
