Zest AI announced its partnership with Equifax®, Inc. The partnership will enable credit unions using Zest AI's underwriting technology to consider more of the data sourced from Equifax to approve more applicants with greater speed, especially those who have been traditionally underbanked. This is the first major distribution partnership between Zest AI and a National Consumer Reporting Agency. This new partnership with Equifax allows credit unions to directly access AI underwriting models tailor-made to serve their members using Zest AI's software alongside the Equifax consumer credit report, similar to how they access national credit scores today.

This connectivity allows credit unions to choose AI powered underwriting, automating most of their lending decisions without needing massive IT modernization projects. Zest AI's technology helps each credit union make data-driven underwriting decisions tailored to the communities they serve. By using this technology, credit unions can analyze hundreds of data points in seconds and better determine lending decision outcomes.

Credit unions using Zest AI's software see an average increase in approvals of over 25% and some have automated lending decisions fivefold. Zest AI's software also gives credit unions the ability to monitor and respond to shifts in market conditions. This capability helps keep them agile and responsive to their members during fluctuations in the economic cycle.