A study released Wednesday shows that 87% [1] of companies worldwide have encountered AI-assisted or automated attempts to bypass identity checks.

This trend indicates a growing security vulnerability as synthetic identities become more sophisticated. The gap between the prevalence of these attacks and the ability of firms to recognize them as threats creates a window for large-scale fraud.

The research was conducted by Regula, a global developer of identity verification solutions, and released from Reston, Virginia [2]. The findings suggest that nearly nine out of 10 companies [2] are already dealing with these AI-driven attempts to pass verification protocols.

According to the report, the rapid rise of AI-generated synthetic identities is currently outpacing the detection capabilities of most organizations [1]. This disparity means that while companies are exposed to the activity, they may not possess the tools necessary to identify the attempts as security threats [1].

Identity verification is a critical layer of defense for financial institutions, healthcare providers, and digital services. As automation improves, the ability to create convincing fake personas increases, making traditional verification methods less effective.

The study highlights that the scale of the problem is global, affecting a wide range of industries that rely on digital onboarding. The reliance on automated systems for both the attack and the defense has created an arms race in the identity sector [2].

“87% of companies worldwide have encountered AI-assisted or automated attempts to bypass identity checks.”

The findings suggest that the democratization of generative AI has shifted the threat landscape from human-led fraud to scalable, automated attacks. Because the rate of AI evolution exceeds the typical corporate procurement cycle for security software, many firms are operating with legacy systems that cannot distinguish between a real human and a synthetic identity. This creates a systemic risk where the trust mechanism of digital identity is fundamentally compromised.