Finding Each Other: AI, Authenticity, and Uncomfortable Truths

I am super excited to share that my third and latest book, Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence, is now available in select Waterstones locations in London!

Many thanks to Fabio Ardossi for capturing a photo of the book in the wild. :)

This feels like the much-needed happy ending to an otherwise hectic week that at times feels like I am riding a roller coaster flying down at 128 mph in a dark tunnel, not knowing when the next drop is.

Not that I've tried it actually. I might be a bit scared of height.

But you get the idea ...

Food for thought

I came across a poem by Diane Thiel recently, called "Listening in Deep Space". The last few lines made me pause:

Considering the history at home, in houses, across continents, oceans, even in quests armed with good intentions, what one seeker has done to another — what will we do when we find each other?

"What will we do when we find each other?" she asked.

During times of heightened uncertainties and conflicts between nations, this question carries even more meaning than ever.

And it's not just about human-to-human connections that I find interesting.

What happens when human connections and technological advancements intersect? What do we (humans) seek? And where (or how) do we find fulfillment? Will we increasingly seek comfort and solace in the digital realm — much like the movie "HER" —?as we retreat back to the safety of our comfort zone?

Food for thought as we slowly kick off the weekend ... with real humans.

In this month's column via FinTech Futures , I wrote about the need to acknowledge the uncomfortable truth.

Should we paint the future with sunny skies and look through rose-tinted glasses, or tell it as it is?

What happens when leaders shield themselves from the inconvenient truths and when we can no longer confront our own limitations in the fragmented world that we live in? ?Where then will AI lead us?

What I am reading ...

[1] Klarna and Walmart coming together as one.

Just when the fintech darling, Klarna, is prepping for IPO, news came that it is also replacing Affirm as the exclusive BNPL provider for Walmart.

As Julie Muhn wrote, this is huge news for the fintech given the customer acquisition opportunity. But it is also big for Walmart as they are likely positioning OnePay to compete with traditional financial institutions and fintechs.

While we are on the topic ... Michael Hershfield also did a brilliant breakdown on Klarna's journey, the BNPL market, and the payment evolution cycle.

Definitely worth a read.

[2] Machines need not apply.

Can you copyright something that is generated solely by machines? The court doesn't think so —?at least for now.

Recently, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that "human authorship" is necessary for copyright to be issued.

This reminds me of another issue around copyright materials that have yet to be resolved: Do tech companies require explicit permission from creators before their copyright materials are used to train AI?

Here, the collective silence speaks volume.

[3] Back to the basics.

While the industry is still buzzing with excitement around generative AI and agentic AI, I am reminded of one of my true first love of AI: agritech.

"Despite providing 70% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s food, the ~30 million smallholder farmers across the region have been largely excluded from traditional banking systems." This is where technologies, including AI and machine learning, can play a meaningful role, where agritech companies can leverage alternative data to build customer profiles and provide remote credit decisioning for farmers in a less risky and more scalable way.

Counting down to Alkami Co:lab in Nashville!

Looking forward to joining Grace Pace and Erin Rahaim on April 1, where we will talk about emerging AI risks and opportunities in banking at the Alkami Co:lab, hosted by Alkami Technology .

And as a bonus ... the first six people to ask questions or share examples of how their financial institution is managing AI technology at the end of the breakout session will receive a signed copy of my third and latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence.

See you soon in Nashville!

Meanwhile, in this week's One Vision — FinTech Fuse! ... we celebrate those who advocate for disability inclusion in fintech.

In this enlightening episode of One Vision Podcast , I chat with Joanne Dewar, a trailblazer for disability inclusion in FinTech. Jo shares her journey, starting from her pivotal work at Global Processing Services (GPS), to the inception of Project Nemo—a groundbreaking initiative empowering disability inclusion across the FinTech industry. Insights cover the essential role of assistive technologies, the journey to securing broad industry partnerships, and the real-world impact on bringing systemic change within the financial sector.

Warning: This is an empowering conversation that will leave you feeling a bit more positive about our challenging world.?

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