Innovation

The advertising ecosystem has seen significant transformation over the past few years, with increased privacy regulation, changes in available signals, and the rise of channels like connected TV and retail media. These changes are impacting the way that consumers interact with brands and how brands understand and continue to deliver relevant messages to consumers with precision.   Experian has been helping marketers navigate these changes, and as a result, our marketing data and identity solutions underpin much of today’s advertising industry. We’re committed to empowering marketers and agencies to understand and reach their target audiences, across all channels. Today, we are excited to announce our acquisition of Audigent—a leading data and activation platform in the advertising industry.   With Audigent’s combination of first-party publisher data, inventory and deep supply-side distribution relationships, publishers, big and small, can empower marketers to better understand their customers, expand the reach of their target audiences and activate those audiences across the most impactful inventory.      I am excited to bring together Audigent’s supply-side network as a natural extension to our existing demand-side capabilities. Audigent’s ability to combine inventory with targeted audiences using first-party, third-party and contextual signals provides the best of all worlds, allowing marketers to deliver campaigns centered on consumer choices, preferences, and behaviors.    The addition of Audigent further strengthens our strategy to be the premier independent provider of marketing data and identity, ultimately creating more relevant experiences for consumers.   To learn more about Experian and Audigent, visit https://www.experian.com/marketing/ and https://audigent.com/.  

When it comes to cybercriminals and threat vectors, we need to expect the unexpected. Experian’s 12th annual Data Breach Industry Forecast highlights several potential trends for 2025, with AI playing a central role. This year has already seen more data breaches and impacted consumers than 2023, indicating that global data breaches are not slowing down. Some things to watch out for next year includes the potential for more internal fraud. As companies train employees on AI, there is a growing risk that some will misuse their knowledge for internal theft and sourcing sensitive information. Another trend may be cyberattackers targeting large data centers, with the growth of generative AI introducing power as a new attack vector. It’s reported that a single ChatGPT query uses significantly more electricity than a standard Google search, making data centers and cloud infrastructure vulnerable, especially in countries with varying security standards. We expect AI-related attacks to dominate the headlines next year and investments in cybersecurity will increase to tackle this emerging threat, as hackers leverage AI for phishing, password cracking, malware, and deepfakes. Jim Steven, Head of Crisis and Data Response Services at Experian Global Data Breach Resolution in the UK, anticipates that global data breaches will persist at their current rate next year. He notes that ransomware attacks are likely to become even more sophisticated with the integration of AI. Additionally, Steven predicts that threat actors will escalate their tactics to achieve greater rewards, and the misuse of consumer data to damage reputations will increase in 2025. To access the complimentary report, click here.

Great Place to Work and Fortune have named Experian as one of the 25 World’s Best Workplaces™ 2024. This recognition highlights more than an award—it shows a commitment to our strong People First culture. Experian Chief People Officer Jacky Simmonds shares insights on how our people across the globe cultivate this culture, staying ahead of the curve through a unique blend of inclusivity, empathy, and a shared purpose. What does it mean to you, and to Experian, to be named among Fortune's World’s Best Places to Work? At Experian, we have long aspired to be one of the best companies in the world to work for, and over the past few years, we have made this a priority. Our journey has been marked by a commitment to putting our people first and fostering the collaborative and inclusive culture that sets us apart. This recognition reflects the common values that we share across our many countries and cultures and the dedication of our colleagues across our business.  We spend so much of our time at work, so I think it’s important that every interaction - from the interview process to joining and every daily interaction - is a positive one where people are welcoming, supportive and generally just really nice people to work with. Reaching this milestone gives all of us at Experian some recognition, but also it is inspiring as we continue to strive to attract top talent who share our values, share our purpose and make every day an enjoyable one. How does Experian create an environment where employees feel empowered to innovate and contribute ideas that drive real impact?  To fulfill our mission of bringing Financial Power to All™, we need as many voices, experiences and backgrounds as possible, so we can represent our clients’ differing needs. This culture of inclusion drives our innovations. We have employee-led initiatives, such as internal Hackathons that bring together these diverse perspectives to develop products and services like Experian Boost, Experian Go, Experian Smart Money Digital Checking Account, Experian Support Hub, and Transforme-se so we can serve the communities in which we live and work. How has Experian adapted to changing employee expectations since the pandemic, and what steps has the company taken to support employee well-being and work-life balance?  We know that our people really value the ability to have flexible work model, so they can work to fulfill their role in a way that works for them. For some this is fully remote, for others it is hybrid so a balance of remote and in office, and for others in office, where their role requires it fully. We know from the feedback that we get that our people appreciate that we trust them and they have flexibility to deal with varying commitments that we all have outside of work. We also know that since the pandemic there has been an increased focused on wellbeing. Sponsored by our Chief Financial Officer, we embarked upon an initiative to invest in how we support people who may need additional support. We are very proud of our Mental Health First Aiders programme, which has trained around 400 colleagues across the world representing 23 countries and 28 languages and helping their teammates access resources. These volunteers receive consistent, ongoing and updated training. What specific initiatives or programmes at Experian do you believe set the company apart in terms of supporting professional growth and career development?  We have invested in a number of things that we believe really make the difference. The first is developing great leaders at every level. Today’s leaders have many more challenges, many different age groups, a balance of remote and in person working, together with teams based in many different locations. Great leaders build great teams, so we think it’s important to invest in their development. That’s we built a leadership development portal - The Leadership Exchange - that has a wide range of resources to support them, including development programmes tailored to their needs. We also want to ensure that everyone at every level can develop their skills and progress their careers. So we launched our annual Global Careers Week, Experian University, and built a world-class digital curriculum so everyone can access the form of development they need based on their role or aspirations. There really is something for everyone. This way, we help our teams stay ahead of trends and ensure our business is equipped with the skills needed for the future. Looking forward, what are key goals or priorities for further enhancing Experian’s culture and employee experience?  We’re truly proud of this amazing recognition, but we always strive to get better and acknowledge there’s always more to be done. We see an opportunity to make things easier in the way we leverage advanced technologies like AI to further enhance employee experience. For example, more personalised learning pathways, improved tools for productivity and collaboration. We make sure we don’t lose the human touch, but we also want to make the most of these innovations so we stay relevant with our largely tech populations. Being named one of the world’s best workplaces reflects Experian’s unwavering commitment to be recognized for having a great culture where people can do their best work with people they enjoy working with. Learn more about what makes Experian a World’s Best Workplace in the People section of our Annual Report and the Experian Power of YOU Report 2024: Driving social impact and diversity, equity and inclusion, available in English, Portuguese and Spanish. 

Today at Money 20/20 in Las Vegas, Experian unveiled Experian Assistant, a groundbreaking toolset that transforms analytics and modeling for financial institutions. By leveraging Generative AI (GenAI), this revolutionary solution slashes model development turning months-long processes into days—or even hours. Positioned as a game-changer, Experian Assistant offers businesses the equivalent of a seasoned expert, guiding them through complex use cases with ease and redefining how financial organizations approach data-driven insights. Revolutionizing Modeling with Generative AI Experian Assistant marks a significant leap forward in how businesses handle the modeling lifecycle. Integrated into the Experian Ascend Technology Platform™, Experian Assistant is designed to streamline data analytics processes, enhance accuracy, and promote efficiency. This debut underscores Experian’s commitment to responsible AI innovation, ensuring that organizations benefit from advanced analytics without compromising on privacy or ethical standards. “Many financial institutions are looking to invest in new generative AI use cases, often focused on banker specific support,” said Craig Focardi, Principal Analyst at Celent. “Experian Assistant focuses on developer support to accelerate the development lifecycle by having a digital model building consultant available to users.” Empowering Data Scientists and Analysts With its powerful natural language processing (NLP) capabilities, Experian Assistant is reshaping how data scientists and analysts approach complex tasks. Traditionally, navigating large datasets and building models required extensive technical expertise. But now, Experian Assistant allows users to query data, write code, and build models in plain language—democratizing access to sophisticated analytics. The tool not only boosts productivity but also fosters collaboration and accessibility. This innovation will drive financial inclusion by broadening access to data-driven insights and responsible use of data across organizations. Developed in Collaboration with Leading Financial Institutions A standout feature of Experian Assistant is its development in close partnership with the world’s largest financial institutions. This collaboration ensures that the tool is finely tuned to real-world challenges, delivering deep insights into Experian’s data assets. By optimizing analytics processes, businesses can achieve proven cost savings, enhanced data visibility, and faster product deployment. Continental Finance Company, for example, reduced data-building time by a remarkable 75% after adopting Experian Assistant. This kind of impact highlights the tool’s ability to accelerate model development while maintaining strict data privacy standards—a vital consideration for financial institutions. Advanced Compliance and Transparency In today’s highly regulated environment, businesses must not only meet compliance standards but also provide transparency into their processes. Experian Assistant is designed with these needs in mind, offering advanced features that support regulatory reporting, identity management, risk assessments, and transaction monitoring. A Competitive Edge through GenAI With more than a decade of AI expertise, Experian is leading the charge in responsible AI development. At Money 20/20, Experian Assistant stood out as a testament to this leadership. The tool is positioned to offer financial institutions a competitive edge, improving risk assessment, enhancing customer experiences, and promoting financial inclusion. As the financial services industry continues to evolve, businesses that embrace GenAI solutions like Experian Assistant will be better positioned to succeed. This groundbreaking tool is not just an enhancement—it’s a fundamental shift in how analytics and modeling are conducted, offering the speed, accuracy, and transparency that today’s market demands.

We believe that financial literacy leads to empowerment. That is why Experian supports initiatives and partners with community organizations to deliver financial education. We also develop products and services that give more control to consumers over their credit profile and financial health. As part of advancing our mission of Financial Power to All®, we are proud to announce we are helping more than 5,000 Hispanic individuals nationwide by relieving $10 million dollars of consumer debt. To provide families with this boost, we joined forces with ForgiveCo, a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), to administer the acquisition and cancellation of qualifying consumer debt for the selected recipients. Beneficiaries will also receive a one-year premium Experian membership for free that offers access to their Experian credit report in English and Spanish[i], FICO® Score[ii], bilingual educational content, and other financial resources. We hope this effort helps raise awareness of the importance of financial literacy for everyone, and that Experian has resources to help individuals reach their financial dreams.  To amplify the message, we collaborated with multi-platinum, award-winning singer and songwriter Prince Royce and you can see his video here. In fact, we have been making a concerted effort the last several years to evolve our educational resources and products to better support all underserved communities. Some of our other activities include the creation of the B.A.L.L. for Life initiative that connects African American and Hispanic youth with financial education, supporting scholarships for Asian Americans through the Ascend organization, providing custom resources for Out & Equal and Born This Way Foundation for the LGBTQ+ community, supporting the NextGen Innovation Lab for Disability:IN, and sponsoring credit counseling for the military community with Operation HOPE. For resources in Spanish, Experian offers a credit e-book and consumers can access a full suite of articles at the Ask Experian blog here. [i] Only Experian credit reports are available in Spanish. All other services associated with an Experian membership are available in English only. English fluency is required for full access to Experian’s products.  [ii] Credit score calculated based on FICO® Score 8 model. Your lender or insurer may use a different FICO® Score than FICO® Score 8, or another type of credit score altogether. Learn more.

Experian continues to affirm its leadership in financial technology, earning the 7th spot on the 2024 IDC FinTech Rankings. This is the third consecutive year that the company has ranked among the top 10 providers, reinforcing its position as a key player in the FinTech space. The IDC FinTech Rankings assess the top 100 financial technology providers based on revenues generated in 2023 from financial services and FinTech sectors. In addition to this notable achievement, Experian has been awarded the 2024 IDC Real Results Award for Bank Deposit Transformation. This award highlights Experian's innovation in driving measurable and impactful changes within the financial services industry. The recognition is particularly focused on the company’s success in helping banks transform their deposit processes through advanced fraud prevention technologies. Experian's Ascend Fraud Sandbox: A Game-Changer A key factor behind this award is Experian's Ascend Fraud Sandbox, a groundbreaking tool that offers financial institutions a comprehensive platform for fraud detection and prevention. The Ascend Fraud Sandbox empowers organizations to analyze data, identify new fraud patterns, and quickly build, test, and deploy models. This technology enables banks to enhance their fraud detection capabilities, leading to higher approval rates for online deposit accounts and reduced fraud-related losses. The sandbox operates with over 10 billion identity and fraud events, which include applications, login activities, and transactions. It also continuously incorporates tens of millions of new events each day. This expansive dataset allows banks to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraud attempts, especially those driven by artificial intelligence (AI). Experian's success in Bank Deposit Transformation demonstrates the company’s ability to help financial institutions improve their processes while simultaneously enhancing fraud protection. By providing advanced fraud-prevention and identity-protection technologies, Experian enables its customers to optimize their operations, reduce risks, and achieve better financial outcomes. Recognition of Experian's Innovation This dual recognition—ranking 7th in the IDC FinTech Rankings and winning the Real Results Award—further solidifies Experian’s standing as a leader in technology. These accolades underscore its capacity to offer data, technology, and scalable solutions that allow financial institutions to make informed business decisions at the necessary speed to remain competitive in an evolving market. Now in its 21st year, the IDC FinTech Rankings evaluate technology providers based on the revenue they generate from financial institutions, including banks, insurers, and capital markets firms. With both the FinTech Rankings and the Real Results Award in hand, Experian continues to deliver innovative solutions that help financial institutions navigate the complexities of modern finance with confidence.

More than two years ago, Experian expanded its consumer offerings to provide a free auto insurance comparison shopping service.  As part of our mission of Financial Power to All™, Experian Consumer Services is continuously working to develop new products, services and features that help consumers reach their financial goals. Providing a convenient way for consumers to potentially find a better auto insurance rate on their current policy fit this bill. We’ve enhanced the service now offering a free Ongoing Rate Monitoring feature so Experian members never have to shop for auto insurance again. After enrolling in a free or paid Experian membership, the Experian Insurance Marketplace delivers at no cost, real-time, tailored rates from more than 40 top insurance providers. The Ongoing Rate Monitoring feature will continuously monitor rates and alert members if there is a better deal available on an ongoing basis. To date, Experian has saved members more than $800[i] on their current insurance policy. The marketplace became available at a critical time when rising inflation and interest rates were significantly impacting consumers’ finances – and it’s still the case today. One of the common expenses that has reportedly risen over the past 1-2 years the most is auto insurance by approximately 20 percent. Thus, it’s no surprise a recent Experian consumer survey shows 3 out of 4 of respondents are worried rates will increase in the next 12 months. We’re proud to be able to address consumer needs and deliver free resources like our marketplace that financially empowers our members. Consumers can also shop at the marketplace for home and renter insurance.  To access the marketplace, click here. [i] Results will vary and some may not see savings. Average savings of $828 per year for customers who switched and saved with Experian from Jan. 1, 2022 to Mar. 31, 2024. Savings based on customers’ self-reported prior premium.  Experian offers insurance from a network of top-rated insurance companies through its licensed subsidiary, Gabi Personal Insurance Agency, Inc.

Experian North America has once again proven its commitment to creating an exceptional workplace, earning a coveted spot on Fortune’s 2024 “Best Workplaces in Technology” list. This prestigious recognition showcases Experian’s dedication to cultivating a vibrant, innovative and inclusive culture where employees thrive. By prioritizing personal growth, diversity and overall well-being, Experian continues to stand out as a leader in the tech industry, ensuring its workforce remains at the heart of its success. A Testament to Experian’s Workplace Culture The Fortune Best Workplaces in Technology™ list, developed in partnership with Great Place to Work®, was based on surveys from more than 870,000 employees across various industries. Feedback captured factors like trust, respect, fairness and credibility, showcasing Experian’s efforts to build a culture where employees feel empowered and engaged. Innovation and Inclusivity Experian’s inclusion in the Large Workplace category reflects its commitment to fostering a collaborative environment. The company supports diversity through partnerships with AfroTech, Grace Hopper, Lesbians Who Tech and Out In Tech, further demonstrating its dedication to inclusivity. A Year of Notable Achievements In addition to the Fortune recognition, Experian earned a silver medal for innovation from Datos Insights and ranked 7th on the 2024 IDC FinTech Rankings, solidifying its leadership in data and technology. With more than 22,500 employees globally, Experian remains dedicated to innovation, employee development and helping businesses and consumers unlock opportunities.

Fraudsters are opportunistic. They are capitalizing on using new technology to create more sophisticated fraud schemes, underscoring the importance and urgency of prioritizing fraud prevention strategies. In fact, the FTC reported that consumers lost more than $10 billion to fraud in 2023, the first time losses have ever been so high.  As a leader in the fraud prevention and identity verification space, we’re dedicated to helping clients stay ahead of evolving fraud trends and challenges. To that end, today we released the findings of our 9th annual Experian Identity and Fraud Report, which provides an in-depth look at the current fraud landscape and the sentiments of both consumers and businesses. Some of the top findings include: Consumers’ top security concerns include: identity theft (84%) and stolen credit card information (80%), a 20% increase compared to 2023. Sixty-three percent of people say it is important for businesses to be able to recognize them online.  Eighty-one percent of consumers say they’re more trusting of businesses that can accomplish easy and accurate identification. People want more types of identity recognition techniques used to verify their identities with physical analytics (71%), PINs sent to a mobile device (70%) and behavioral analytics (66%) evoking the highest sense of security for consumers. Companies recognize the importance of focusing on Gen AI, with 70% saying they expect AI fraud to be the second greatest challenge for their business. Despite AI fraud concerns, businesses ranked detecting and preventing Gen AI fraud and deepfakes as the 12th most important investment area behind prevention for legacy fraud types. With these fraud concerns in mind, companies need to review their current fraud tools and strategies, and look for opportunities to add to or change current approaches, to not only mitigate risk but also keep their customers safe while providing a positive experience. Businesses should work with a trusted partner who can help them implement a multilayered approach to identity verification and fraud prevention and help them meet consumer expectations. Experian offers a full suite of automated tools that harness data and analytics to prevent fraud and mitigate losses. We’re dedicated to empowering clients with the insights they need to make informed, data-driven decisions that safeguard their customers and reduce risk.  Our recent acquisition of NeuroID, an industry leader in behavioral analytics, is a testament to this. To learn more about Experian’s fraud prevention solutions: please click here. To read Experian’s 2024 Identity and Fraud Report, please click here.