Trust in fintech. The biggest differentiator in the age of AI.

This month, London Tech Week and TNW shine a spotlight on the pace and promise of AI in the financial industry. But beneath the surface of innovation lies a fundamental truth: AI might move fast, but trust doesn’t. And in fintech, trust is everything.

For fintech platforms rolling out AI-powered services, the challenge is no longer about technical possibility. It’s about trust with customers. Building it. Earning it. Proving it every time a user logs in, makes a decision, or moves their money.

Why trust means more today than before.

Trust in fintech is multi-faceted. It means safety, security and reliability. But, when AI automates decisions, trust is fragile.

At London Tech Week, conversations around AI in financial services consistently circled back to one theme: trust. From AI-driven mortgage journeys to risk-aware system design, the message was clear - users need more than technical performance. They need clarity, control and confidence in the systems they interact with.

As Dusted’s Head of Growth, Victoria Vella observed:

So, when AI automates decisions, trust is fragile.

Even when the algorithm is right, many users still default to doubt. According to the Financial Times, AI forecasts often trigger less user confidence – a phenomenon coined “algorithmic aversion.” Because people struggle to put faith in what they can’t explain.

AI models that operate as “black boxes” – systems where you can see the input and the output, but not how the decision was made – are red flags in a sector built on scrutiny and accountability. Users need to trust an AI tool, especially when it shapes financial outcomes.

Adding to this, Theodora Lau notes in her Forbes article that keeping humans in the loop is critical. AI should support, not replace, human decision-making, particularly in critical moments like fund approvals or deal execution. Because when humans remain at the centre of the experience, AI becomes an enabler, not a threat.

So fintech users need both confidence and reassurance. Security and reliability are critical. But so is the narrative, reducing the ‘fear factor’ in automation.

The importance of communicating trust.

In fintech, like in any other industry, trust starts with the fundamentals. You need high-grade proprietary tech. A reputable organisation. And baked-in business integrity. These factors are as important as they are hygiene. Appreciated, but ultimately expected.

In AI, however, hygiene isn’t enough. Because when innovation moves faster than understanding, perception outruns reality. AI introduces uncertainty. It operates in new, untested spaces. No matter how strong the tech or how solid the brand reputation, many users will approach AI with caution shaped by headlines, bias, and lack of transparency.

This is where brand and communications play a critical role. Because in AI, trust isn’t just built by the product. It’s built by the story you tell around it.

The smartest AI brands know this. IBM humanised Watson’s intelligence by launching it on primetime television. Its debut on Jeopardy! put Watson in front of millions, giving it a name, a personality and a clear, relatable role. Trust through transparency. Understanding through demonstration.

Microsoft’s Copilot takes a different, equally strategic approach. It puts the user firmly in control, with AI as a helper. The human in the driver’s seat, the tool as a literal “co-pilot.” Again, a brand-led decision to make trust in AI feel simple and intuitive.

Both invested heavily in narrative to shape how users felt about the technology from day one. Because in AI, perception is everything. And brand is how you shape it.

This was exactly the challenge SS&C Intralinks faced when introducing their proprietary AI to DealCentre. They had the tech. They had the reputation. But they needed a brand and narrative that made trust unmistakable in this new space. One that supported innovation without diluting their long-standing security-first promise. We helped them architect a masterbrand built to handle both the innovation and the confidence it demands. And came back with valuable insights.

Insights from the frontline.

SS&C Intralinks is a global fintech heavyweight. Over $1 in every $2 raised worldwide runs through their platform. If you know the dealmaking space, you know SS&C Intralinks. If you’re the best in the business, you’re using it.

A long-standing partner, they asked us to help redefine their masterbrand. Their reputation for bulletproof, bank-grade security was already rock solid. Trust was a given. Which meant the new masterbrand didn’t need to lean harder on safety and security. It gave us the freedom to lead with the higher purpose of value creation.

But AI is different. It’s new. It’s still earning its place in the trust equation. So, while we could lead with an intelligence-first story, we had to keep trust front and centre within the AI proposition. In this space, trust becomes the shorthand for safety and security. And getting that balance right was key.

Here’s what we learned about embedding trust into a fintech brand framework.

Trust for every dealmaker.

Trust means something different to every user, even when they’re all part of the same process.

Through extensive research and stakeholder interviews, we uncovered that younger audiences are often the ones in the thick of the work, processing hundreds of documents. As digital-natives, trust in technology comes naturally. They use it every day in every area of their lives to do the heavy lifting. They expect it. What they want is clarity and confidence that the AI helps them process more, faster, so they can focus on the details that matter. The message here was simple. AI as a trusted assistant.

Older, more seasoned decision-makers bring a healthy scepticism to AI. But they also see the opportunity: freeing up junior teams to focus on higher-value thinking like due diligence and deal strategy, while automation takes care of the grind. For this audience, trust had to be earned. We dialled up messaging around transparency, control and accountability, reassuring them that AI would enhance, not replace, their expertise.

We mapped this through a full messaging matrix. While the masterbrand story stayed consistent, the language, tone and design cues were shaped to meet users where they were, from high-intensity analysts to long-view fund managers.

A name with weight.

Naming is one of the first things potential users experience. And when AI is the product, it becomes a trust signal.

Look at how Microsoft did it. As mentioned above, they put the user in control from the get-go through one simple word. Copilot. A clear metaphor that instantly signals both collaboration and human oversight.

(Image source: mhance)

That same principle holds true with SS&C Intralinks. Their AI engine was originally pitched as “Deal.io”, a friendly name meant to inspire ease. Upbeat, informal, accessible. But in such a high-stakes industry, it felt too casual. Too flippant. Instead, it needed to signal authority. So we helped reframe the conversation.

The result was Link. A name with weight. Clear, confident, and rooted in purpose. It captures exactly what the AI does. Connect and strengthen data, decision making and users across a complex deal ecosystem.

Designing for trust.

In fintech, trust is embedded (or eroded) through every interaction. So, the visual and verbal language has a direct impact on user trust. It can be the difference between adoption and disengagement.

Salesforce’s Einstein is a prime example. Instead of cold and technical, their AI, Einstein, is personified through an approachable character. A mascot, at the centre of their platform experience. The design language is soft and familiar. Playful and non-threatening with his wild hair and kindly face.

(Image source: Salesforce press release.)

For SS&C Intralinks, clarity was non-negotiable. We stripped out jargon. Prioritised plain language. And, most importantly, we embedded humans at the centre of innovation through the promise of “empowering people.” Because, as noted earlier, trust-building in fintech AI depends on transparency, governance and explainability. So, the design of these cues matters as much as the tech itself.F

Visual storytelling mattered. Too often, AI looks cold, technical, untouchable. We flipped that. The creative direction put people front and centre, showing users interacting with Link, using it as an intelligent tool. Not a replacement. A facilitator.

We also connected every product through a unified design language, with the supergraphic ribbon acting as a connective thread across touchpoints. Motion, colour, typography and story, linked under the same message: this is fintech where users remain in control. AI that empowers people.

Let’s get things Done & Dusted.

AI may be redefining what fintech platforms can do. But trust with customers will determine which ones win. As the pace of innovation accelerates, designing for trust – from name to imagery and tone of voice – has become a core product challenge.

We helped SS&C Intralinks build an AI sub-brand that their users believed in and adopted. If you’re building AI for fintech, we can help you shape the story that ensures your product adopted.

Contact us now. Ready when you are.