As artificial intelligence becomes more embedded in financial services, a new report has raised red flags about growing AI risks in fintech, pointing to critical security and compliance gaps.
The findings raise urgent concerns about how quickly these sectors are adopting AI without addressing the associated risks.
AI Integration Outpaces Security Readiness
Fintech and healthcare platforms are rapidly deploying AI to improve user experiences and automate services. However, many of these apps lack basic security measures to protect against evolving threats.
Researchers examined over 40 AI-integrated platforms, including finance tools, digital wallets, and patient care apps. Alarmingly, nearly 60% showed at least one major vulnerability linked to AI use.
The study revealed that companies are prioritizing AI-driven features without ensuring they meet proper security and compliance standards.
Fintech Faces Threats from Prompt Injection Attacks
In the fintech space, the study uncovered a high risk of prompt injection attacks. These occur when attackers manipulate user inputs to influence or hijack an AI’s behavior.
For instance, a hacker could craft a specific prompt to make an AI assistant reveal hidden instructions or bypass normal checks. In financial apps, this could allow attackers to access sensitive data or initiate unauthorized actions.
Chatbots that provide investment advice, process transactions, or verify identities were found to be especially vulnerable. The consequences of such exploitation could include financial fraud or data compromise.
Healthcare AI Leaking Sensitive Patient Information
Healthcare platforms using AI are also at risk. Many apps that handle patient interactions were found leaking personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI).
This includes apps that help with appointment scheduling, symptom tracking, and medical summaries. Researchers showed that poorly designed prompts could extract private data from previous users or system logs.
Despite strict laws like HIPAA, many apps don’t validate inputs or monitor outputs correctly. This creates serious privacy risks for both patients and providers.
No Unified Compliance Standards for AI
The researchers pointed out a major gap in compliance. AI systems are not always covered by existing regulations in finance or healthcare.
For example, financial services must follow PCI DSS rules, and healthcare providers must comply with HIPAA. But these frameworks don’t yet include standards for auditing AI-generated responses or prompts.
“AI is deeply embedded in how these industries work now,†said Dr. Rhea Malik, one of the lead authors. “We need to treat AI like any other critical infrastructure—secure it, monitor it, and regulate it.â€
What Fintech Companies Must Do Now
For fintech firms—especially those offering white label payment gateway solutions—the message is clear. They must strengthen their AI systems before these vulnerabilities can be exploited.
Security experts recommend steps like using AI firewalls, limiting prompt access, and running continuous audits of AI responses. Training data also needs to be monitored for bias and privacy issues.
Addressing these AI risks in fintech is no longer optional—it’s a necessary step toward building secure, trustworthy platforms in an increasingly AI-driven economy.