All posts by Molly Poppie

For decades, Experian has invested in building one of the most trusted, differentiated data foundations in the world. Experian’s data helps businesses responsibly engage with consumers, manage risk, and grow with confidence. For consumers, these insights drive improved access to affordable credit solutions in some of the most significant moments of their lives. Our focus on building a durable data foundation and persistent identity signals puts Experian in a unique position, especially as technology continues to evolve, and AI reshapes how decisions are made. Incomplete or inconsistent data can lead to bad models and negative outcomes for both businesses and consumers. And, as data and identity signals continue to change, persistence becomes increasingly valuable. Businesses need confidence that the people they’re interacting with are real, reachable, and consistent over time. That’s why we’re excited to announce Experian’s acquisition of AtData – a leading data and intelligence company backed by the world’s most comprehensive email insights technology. AtData’s coverage of real-time email insights, including over 10 billion email addresses worldwide and 98% of active emails in North America, is trusted by thousands of businesses including many of America’s most notable brands and Fortune 500 companies. Our acquisition of AtData builds on our leading, durable identity infrastructure. By adding the most comprehensive email intelligence technology to Experian’s existing identity, data, analytics, and decisioning capabilities, we’re enabling our clients to make faster, more confident, signal-driven decisions. Smarter, more efficient marketing Email remains one of the most direct and effective channels for driving consumer response — and the intelligence behind it is what separates high-performing programs from inefficient ones. Real-time behavioral signals, including engagement, activity frequency, and responsiveness, tell businesses not just whether an address is deliverable, but whether a person is actively reachable and likely to act. Layering these signals across Experian's existing consumer intelligence enables smarter audience prioritization, reduced waste, and better results across the customer journey. Connecting identity across channels and touchpoints The email address has become the center point of modern, digital identity — an anchor linking the signals a person leaves across the digital and physical world, including postal addresses, phone numbers, devices, and more. Adding email-based identity linkages to Experian's robust identity infrastructure gives businesses a more complete, accurate, and durable view of who a person actually is, across channels in an increasingly fragmented identity ecosystem. Stronger fraud prevention and risk management Email behavior is a critical element in helping businesses detect and prevent fraud. Knowing whether an email is newly created, exhibiting bot-like patterns, or inconsistent with other points of identity associated with a person helps businesses identify synthetic identities and separate trusted from higher-risk activity — earlier in the process. These signals sharpen the decisioning capabilities businesses need to act with speed and confidence. Why this matters now AI is raising the bar for speed, personalization, and precision. But AI is only as effective as the data behind it. In this next phase, trusted, differentiated data is what creates real advantage. AtData strengthens our ability to help our clients navigate what comes next — with confidence and at scale. To learn more about AtData, please visit https://atdata.com/.

I recently had the opportunity to attend Money20/20 in Las Vegas, where one theme dominated nearly every conversation: artificial intelligence is reshaping financial services. But amid all the excitement around algorithms and technology, the data that powers it all often gets overlooked. AI is only as effective and trustworthy as the data behind it. For financial institutions, high-quality, differentiated data determines how confidently they can assess creditworthiness, detect anomalies, and manage risk. Ultimately, it’s data that allows lenders to innovate responsibly, personalize experiences, and deliver better outcomes for consumers. At Experian, we see measurable impact when institutions strengthen their data foundations. Our clients are making faster lending decisions, reducing default rates, and expanding access to credit through responsible, data-driven innovation. Turning Better Data Into Better Decisions Experian’s industry-leading core credit data, alternative credit data, cash flow insights, and more gives lenders a more holistic view of financial health. These differentiated data assets, combined with our history or continuous innovation, enable AI systems that are more transparent, explainable, and fair. On example of this is our Experian Assistant for Model Risk Management, a new AI-powered capability that automates the most complex and time-intensive areas of compliance. This solution continuously analyzes model documentation, detects model drift, and recommends corrective actions in real time. Ultimately, this is transforming compliance from a barrier to a driver of ROI and innovation that benefits consumers and businesses. Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Compliance While at Money20/20, I had the opportunity to share more about how we are leveraging differentiated data and technology to help make room for innovation during an interview with Fintech Futures. Reporter Tyler Pathe and I discussed the fact that many institutions still rely on manual processes for compliance — with some involving up to 50 people just to document and validate models. That level of inefficiency slows progress and increases operational risk. Through automation and AI, and differentiated data at our foundation, we are changing this narrative and helping our clients move faster and innovate with confidence. You can tune into my full interview with Fintech Futures below.