Thales Announces 2026 Digital Trust Index
Thales has released the '2026 Consumer Digital Trust Index,' revealing that while 93% of IT decision-makers have adopted generative AI, only 23% of consumers trust companies that use AI with their data. Cumbersome login processes lead 68% of consumers to abandon services, with the banking sector significantly leading in trust.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 8, 2026 at 00:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 7, 2026 at 15:32
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 7, 2026 at 19:52 (4h 20m after Collected)
While 93% of IT decision-makers have adopted generative AI, only 23% of consumers trust companies that use AI to handle their data.
The complexity of registration, login, and initial use leads to revenue loss, with 68% of consumers abandoning or switching to competitors due to website issues.
69% of consumers find companies that implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) more trustworthy, and 68% similarly evaluate passkeys.
While the banking sector clearly leads, other sectors significantly lag in consumer trust. ©Thales
Thales, a world-leading technology and security provider, announced the results of its '2026 Consumer Digital Trust Index' survey. The survey was conducted among over 15,000 consumers, business partners, and IT decision-makers across 13 industries. The findings revealed that trust in companies' digital services can be built or lost through user interfaces like new registrations and logins, as well as the processes involved in managing personal data.
Consumer Trust Hinges on Login Experience
Consumers judge the trustworthiness of digital services at the point of login. However, over the past year, 57% of people reported some kind of issue when accessing websites, and 68% interrupted their use or switched to other services due to slow performance or cumbersome processes. Furthermore, if access takes too long or feels bothersome, 33% switch to competing services or abandon use altogether, while 36% postpone use or seek alternative methods.
The survey also found that consumers do not prioritize speed at the expense of security risks. 45% of people prefer stronger security checks, even if registration takes a little longer, significantly outnumbering those who prioritize speed by simplifying security (22%).
Familiar security measures also lead to a sense of reassurance, with 69% of respondents saying that multi-factor authentication increases trust, and 68% similarly stating that passkeys lead to increased trust.
On the other hand, only 16% of consumers reported fully understanding how companies collect and use their personal data.
AI Adoption Advances, But Trust Lags Behind
As the use of generative AI accelerates, 93% of IT decision-makers report already using, implementing, or planning to implement AI. However, consumer trust has not kept pace, with only 23% trusting that companies are responsible in using AI for their data. Furthermore, 77% of consumers expressed anxiety about AI agents acting on their behalf.
Banking Industry Significantly Leads Other Industries in Trust
The survey revealed a significant widening gap between highly trusted industries and others. The banking industry stands out, with 57% of consumers citing it as trustworthy (up from 44% in 2025), making it the only industry where over 40% of consumers feel comfortable sharing personal information online.
Conversely, many other industries continue to suffer from a 'trust deficit.' There is a discrepancy between the experience companies believe they are providing and the experience users actually feel, leading to service interruptions, inefficient alternative methods, and increased risks.
Looking at industry-specific trust levels outside of banking, government services ranked second at 40%, followed by healthcare at 35%, with the top three sectors concentrated in these areas including banking.
Beyond these, trust levels drop significantly, with insurance (23%) and education (15%) forming a second group, though with a large gap from the top. Furthermore, trust levels are even lower in consumer-facing industries, with retail (10%), social media (9%), entertainment (7%), and hospitality (6%) following. News media (5%), logistics (4%), and automotive (3%) are at the lowest levels.
Overall, consumers tend to place high online trust in sectors handling sensitive personal data and essential services. Conversely, trust in entertainment, media, and platform companies was found to be relatively low.
Friction in Access Leads to Delays and Risks in Partner Operations
Business partner users
The complexity of registration, login, and initial use leads to revenue loss, with 68% of consumers abandoning or switching to competitors due to website issues.
69% of consumers find companies that implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) more trustworthy, and 68% similarly evaluate passkeys.
While the banking sector clearly leads, other sectors significantly lag in consumer trust. ©Thales
Thales, a world-leading technology and security provider, announced the results of its '2026 Consumer Digital Trust Index' survey. The survey was conducted among over 15,000 consumers, business partners, and IT decision-makers across 13 industries. The findings revealed that trust in companies' digital services can be built or lost through user interfaces like new registrations and logins, as well as the processes involved in managing personal data.
Consumer Trust Hinges on Login Experience
Consumers judge the trustworthiness of digital services at the point of login. However, over the past year, 57% of people reported some kind of issue when accessing websites, and 68% interrupted their use or switched to other services due to slow performance or cumbersome processes. Furthermore, if access takes too long or feels bothersome, 33% switch to competing services or abandon use altogether, while 36% postpone use or seek alternative methods.
The survey also found that consumers do not prioritize speed at the expense of security risks. 45% of people prefer stronger security checks, even if registration takes a little longer, significantly outnumbering those who prioritize speed by simplifying security (22%).
Familiar security measures also lead to a sense of reassurance, with 69% of respondents saying that multi-factor authentication increases trust, and 68% similarly stating that passkeys lead to increased trust.
On the other hand, only 16% of consumers reported fully understanding how companies collect and use their personal data.
AI Adoption Advances, But Trust Lags Behind
As the use of generative AI accelerates, 93% of IT decision-makers report already using, implementing, or planning to implement AI. However, consumer trust has not kept pace, with only 23% trusting that companies are responsible in using AI for their data. Furthermore, 77% of consumers expressed anxiety about AI agents acting on their behalf.
Banking Industry Significantly Leads Other Industries in Trust
The survey revealed a significant widening gap between highly trusted industries and others. The banking industry stands out, with 57% of consumers citing it as trustworthy (up from 44% in 2025), making it the only industry where over 40% of consumers feel comfortable sharing personal information online.
Conversely, many other industries continue to suffer from a 'trust deficit.' There is a discrepancy between the experience companies believe they are providing and the experience users actually feel, leading to service interruptions, inefficient alternative methods, and increased risks.
Looking at industry-specific trust levels outside of banking, government services ranked second at 40%, followed by healthcare at 35%, with the top three sectors concentrated in these areas including banking.
Beyond these, trust levels drop significantly, with insurance (23%) and education (15%) forming a second group, though with a large gap from the top. Furthermore, trust levels are even lower in consumer-facing industries, with retail (10%), social media (9%), entertainment (7%), and hospitality (6%) following. News media (5%), logistics (4%), and automotive (3%) are at the lowest levels.
Overall, consumers tend to place high online trust in sectors handling sensitive personal data and essential services. Conversely, trust in entertainment, media, and platform companies was found to be relatively low.
Friction in Access Leads to Delays and Risks in Partner Operations
Business partner users