The Dispatch

We can unequivocally say artificial intelligence (AI) is single-handedly transforming industries right in front of our eyes. From improving fraud detection to developing AI-powered chatbots to manage customer inquiries, AI is reshaping how businesses innovate and operate. As we navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI, businesses across the spectrum have to continue balancing innovation with ensuring the technology is used in a responsible and ethical manner. At Experian, we believe the dual focus not only drives our technological advancements forward but reinforces our commitment to helping provide fair and transparent outcomes for consumers. We recognize the power of AI lies in its ability to transform data into actionable insights, empowering businesses to make more informed decisions, enhance customer experiences and improve operational efficiencies. For instance, we recently launched the Experian Assistant, which is part of the Experian Ascend Platform™. This agentic AI tool leverages natural language inputs to help reduce the time it takes to develop complex analytical models and solve for multifaceted use cases. In addition, the tool allows financial institutions to explore vast datasets and deliver more value to customers.  However, with great power comes great responsibility. As we continue to harness the technology and unlock the full potential of AI, we are committed to understanding and defining the right frameworks for responsible innovation and the ethical use of AI solutions.  Our approach to the responsible use of AI allows us to get ahead of the potential risks instead of responding and reacting. Experian’s governance frameworks on the use of AI are built on intentional and deliberate choices about our policies and principles; it empowers us to innovate, as well as build trust with our clients, consumers and the broader community.  We believe that ethical AI use is a fundamental aspect of our corporate responsibility. In addition to our internal governance, we actively collaborate with our clients and other industry leaders to help shape the future of AI. Actively engaging with industry stakeholders allows to us to contribute to the standards that help promote transparency, fairness and accountability. While we are excited about the potential of AI and its ability to transform the financial services industry and beyond, we are steadfast in our commitment to its responsible use. To realize the full promise of AI, all stakeholders need to be a force for positive change. Related Posts

Homeownership is a goal for many across the income spectrum; however, the goal can often feel unattainable. Rising home prices, elevated interest rates and high down payments and closing costs are significant barriers to homeownership, particularly for first-time homebuyers. We also can’t forget that historical policies and practices made it nearly impossible for minorities to buy homes in certain areas, regardless of income, prohibiting families from building generational wealth—a ripple effect that continues to impact aspiring homeowners today. While banks and other mortgage servicers offer programs to help low- and moderate-income individuals and households, including down payment assistance, these programs only scratch the surface. Homeownership is more than just a down payment and the purchase price; it’s insurance, HOA fees, maintenance and repairs, property taxes, and more. But it’s not just the financial aspect; the mortgage process itself can feel complex and overwhelming. First-time homebuyers don’t know what they don’t know. The financial services and mortgage communities have an opportunity to demystify the mortgage and homebuying processes and equip prospective homebuyers with the knowledge to better plan and prepare for homeownership. Financial knowledge is the foundation for economic empowerment Because of the stigma surrounding homeownership, many consumers don’t believe homeownership is a possibility for them. The truth is it can be, and it’s our responsibility, as an industry, to help them realize it. That means going into communities and engaging people in a direct conversation, understanding the challenges they’re experiencing, and helping them navigate them. Some of the common questions we hear include: What is a good credit score to buy a home? How do I qualify? When is a good time to buy? Knowledge is power. People welcome the opportunity to learn more about the mortgage process. Fortunately, the onus doesn’t fall on any one organization. We all play a role. For instance, at Experian, we’ve worked with programs such as HomeFree-USA’s Fast Track to Homeownership, which is designed to get renters ready for mortgage approval and homeownership. Its intermediary network oversees 53 affiliated community and faith-based housing counseling agencies across the nation. Additionally, Experian is part the Mortgage Banker Association’s CONVERGENCE Collaborative, a charitable organization designed to address the racial homeownership gap. The effort brings together various stakeholders across the mortgage industry to provide the knowledge and resources to help underserved communities achieve their homeownership goals. Financial literacy is the cornerstone of economic empowerment. Collaborating with community-based organizations, as well as non-profits, can help members of the financial services and mortgage industries more effectively reach prospective homebuyers and help them develop a game plan to achieve their financial goals. Homeownership is a pathway to financial security—but for too many, it feels out of reach. Now is the time for industry-wide collaboration to create lasting impact. Through financial literacy and equitable access to mortgage opportunities, we can build a stronger, more inclusive housing market for future generations. Related Posts

While the credit reporting industry is designed to help lenders and creditors minimize risk and assess consumers’ ability and willingness to repay outstanding debt, let’s be clear: the consumer is our main priority. Every lending decision and action is made with the consumers’ best interest in mind. Because consumers rely on credit and other loan products to purchase homes and cars, pay for college, afford goods and services, and even bridge the gap during emergencies, the credit reporting industry has been at the forefront of broadening access to fair and affordable financial resources.   Risk-based pricing has made it possible for more consumers to access credit, particularly those with limited-to-no credit history or subprime credit profiles. Previously, lenders may have opted not to extend credit to consumers considered higher risk; but more and more, lenders are empowered to tailor borrowing terms based on a consumer’s credit history. In addition, because lenders don’t have to absorb unforeseen risk, lower borrowing costs can be maintained for all consumers. Experian has long advocated for expanded data sources, such as rent and utilities payments, to be incorporated onto consumer credit reports and considered in lending decisions. In 2019, we launched a product  that empowers consumers to add positive payment history for utilities, telecoms and video streaming services—and eventually residential rent—directly into their Experian credit report. Our efforts coincide with legislation, such as S.2417 – the Credit Access and Inclusion Act, introduced by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) in 2021, which encourages the reporting of consumer payment history, including rent, utilities, and telecom services, to the nationwide credit reporting agencies. This is key to broadening access to fair and affordable credit for underserved consumers.  The industry needs to continue to explore other avenues that can help consumers improve their financial health, such as the role that buy now, pay later information can play in increasing financial inclusion. Empowering consumers to take control Beyond legislation or the use of expanded data, many non-profit and community based organizations are championing initiatives that drive greater financial inclusion. Organizations such as Inclusiv, Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, HomeFree-USA, National Urban League and the Society for Financial Education & Personal Development, among others, are helping individuals and households from underserved communities navigate the mainstream financial system and take control of their financial lives. Experian and other financial institutions are partnering with non-profit organizations with deep roots in communities, allowing them to connect with community leaders and individuals on a more personal level. Every individual enters the credit ecosystem at a different stage so it’s important that banks and financial institutions listen to the specific challenges they’re experiencing. For example, individuals may be searching for credit monitoring and alerts, budgeting tools or ways to put more money back into their wallets, such as finding cost-efficient options for auto insurance. Providing individuals and households with the financial knowledge and access to tools better positions them to become financially independent. The credit reporting industry continues to provide more resources and transparency to help improve consumers’ financial health. All individuals deserve the opportunity to establish and build their credit so they are able to elevate and maintain their financial status.

People rely on credit cards, personal loans, mortgages and auto loans, among other financial products to buy homes, fund college educations, weather temporary income disruptions and finance billions of daily transactions for goods and services. Credit is the cornerstone of the pursuit of our financial ambitions. That’s why the credit reporting industry is deeply committed to broadening access to fair and affordable financial resources for all consumers, particularly for individuals and households from underserved communities. The commitment is underscored by the continual effort to evolve the credit reporting system and incorporate new data sets to provide lenders a more comprehensive view of consumers’ ability and capacity to repay outstanding debt. Although progress has been made to extend credit to more prospective borrowers across the risk spectrum, if we want to continue to broaden the scope, we need to encourage the consistent reporting of additional predictive data sources to help lenders assess consumers’ creditworthiness. A proven track record but there’s more work to do Over the past century, the credit reporting industry transitioned from an opaque system founded on relationships to one rooted in data. Lenders lean on past payment history on similar loans (i.e., auto loans, mortgages, credit cards, etc.) as a reliable predictor of a borrower’s future loan payment performance—it’s a way for them to mitigate risk and say “yes” to more borrowers.   And it works. The comprehensive reporting of past loan performance, coupled with increasingly sophisticated statistical prediction models, as well as the adoption of risk-based pricing, accelerated the extension of credit to more consumers. Yet, according to research from Experian and Oliver Wyman, millions of Americans lack access to mainstream credit because they are credit invisible, unscorable or have a subprime credit score. It’s particularly challenging for younger individuals, newly arrived immigrants and historically underserved communities, such as racial and ethnic minorities. At times it can be a catch-22; in order to get credit, you have to have credit. More predictive data is key At Experian, we’ve long understood that expanding the universe of creditworthy borrowers requires more data. In addition to some of the more conventional tradelines, such as mortgages, auto loans and credit cards, we have to explore expanded data sources that are predictive of a prospective borrower’s credit risk. For instance, more consumers are using buy now, pay later (BNPL) products, and nearly every consumer makes recurring monthly payments for rent, utilities, cell phones and even video streaming services, yet oftentimes, these data points are not consistently reported to the credit reporting agencies nor considered during lending decisions. Collectively, the industry and regulators, need to do more to encourage the consistent reporting and inclusion of expanded data onto consumers’ credit reports.    In fact, based on our research, we’ve found that some of the aforementioned expanded data sources can empower lenders to assess the credit risk of a significantly larger pool of consumers. These expanded data sources have been shown to be highly accurate predictors of future loan payment behavior. And, when expanded data is combined with advanced analytics, up to 96% of the population can be scored, including an estimated 65% of credit invisibles.1 Broadening access to fair and affordable credit for more consumers means leaning into combining conventional tradelines with expanded Fair Credit Report Act-regulated data sources. The more information lenders have available to them about prospective borrowers’ past payment performance the more empowered they are to minimize risk and more confidently extend credit. Pushing for more data is the best path forward.

In an era where financial transactions occur at the click of a button, the significance of accurately verifying and authenticating consumers’ identities cannot be overstated. From online purchases to mobile banking, ensuring secure and reliable digital connections and safeguarding consumers’ information are table stakes for any business operating in the digital ecosystem. Unfortunately, some advocacy groups are calling for stricter regulatory guidelines that may impede business’ ability to effectively and efficiently protect a consumer’s financial information and identity. We’re, of course, referring to the push to classify credit header data— identifying information, such as name, current and former addresses, phone number and Social Security number, found at the top of credit reports—as a consumer report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Subjecting credit header information to the FCRA will unnecessarily limit its permitted use, and effectively make it more difficult—and potentially impossible—for banks and other businesses to use the information to authenticate and verify consumers’ identities. It’s an unintended consequence that will surely compromise the security of our digital identities.  Foundational to fraud prevention Credit header data plays a pivotal role in helping businesses detect suspicious activity and stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. With credit header information, banks and other financial institutions cross-reference loan applications against transactions from hundreds of thousands of contributors to spot anomalies and thwart fraudsters before they inflict harm. In fact, many of the industry’s most advanced fraud prevention tools and signals rely on credit header data to verify the legitimacy of any given transaction. Keep in mind, the transactions we’re referring to are transactions of consequence. For instance, opening a new bank account, applying for a loan or transferring money. This level of activity carries inherent risk, and without proper vigilance, could result in significant financial or reputational harm to consumers and businesses. But it’s not only lenders that leverage credit header data, the use cases for credit header data are broad. Government agencies and businesses in the public sector, law enforcement, and some pharmacies use the information to issue one-time passcodes for identification purposes, find missing persons, or verify consumers’ identities prior to prescriptions being filled. Credit header data is already regulated Some of the concern surrounding credit header data centers on consumer privacy, and rightfully so. Protecting consumers’ privacy should be central to the use of sensitive information; however, credit header data is already regulated by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. In fact, for more than 25 years, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act specifically provides that the permissible use of credit header data includes fraud prevention, while also mandating consumer privacy and data protection. Subjecting credit header data to additional FCRA regulation, which does not clearly allow for fraud prevention, could make it impractical or impossible for many businesses to use it for that purpose.  Not only is additional regulation unnecessary, but it potentially creates a contradictory web of regulations that increases the compliance burden and confusion for many businesses. This ultimately thwarts the purpose of GLBA by delaying fraud prevention efforts and potentially raising costs for consumers. Credit header data is far more than information included at the top of consumers’ credit reports, it is a linchpin that powers many of the most advanced fraud prevention and identify verification tools in the market. Before any further regulation is considered, we have to acknowledge the role that credit header data plays in keeping consumers’ information safe and how any changes may impact the safety and soundness of our digital economy.