Today’s guest is Edward Maslaveckas, CEO and Co-founder of Bud Financial. Bud provides transactional lending analysis and advanced AI solutions for power affordability and credit lifecycle management. Edward joins us on today’s program to talk about the biggest challenges in driving personal banking experiences, and what the landscape between legacy and fintech organizations might look like given the practicality of adopting large-scale generative AI use cases in different kinds of financial institutions. If you’ve enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!

Today’s guest is Nirmal Ranganathan, Vice President of Engineering and AI at Rackspace Technology. Rackspace, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a global cloud computing company with additional offices across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It operates data centers in key locations including Amsterdam, London, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, and various cities in the United States. Nirmal returns to the show to explore the accelerating journey of AI adoption in financial services. Pulling from Rackspace’s recent AI survey, we discuss key findings: 86% of companies report tangible AI benefits, and 60% are transitioning from ideation to early implementation. However, as organizations race to integrate AI, many still face skills gaps, with a majority seeking talent in machine learning and software development. If you’ve enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!

Nirmal Ranganathan, Vice President of Engineering and AI at Rackspace Technology, shares his expertise on AI hiring challenges faced by financial services. He discusses how generative AI is transforming both customer-facing and back-office operations. Nirmal highlights the importance of data governance and addressing AI bias. The conversation also delves into disparities in AI adoption between large banks and smaller institutions, emphasizing how advancements can level the playing field. He advocates for diversity and inclusivity in hiring to bolster AI effectiveness.

Kit Cox, Founder and CTO of Enate, shares insights into how AI is revolutionizing customer interactions in financial services. He discusses the power of sentiment analysis and data triage at the point of sale, enhancing engagement. Additionally, he highlights AI's critical role in fraud detection and handling complex insurance claims at the point of need. The conversation dives into how visual data can transform service delivery and the future possibilities of AI technologies, illustrating a dynamic shift in customer experience.

Kit Cox, Founder and CTO of Enate, dives into the transformative impact of AI in customer relationship management within financial services. He discusses the challenges financial leaders face in catering to diverse customer preferences and the importance of personalized communication. Kit highlights how AI enhances customer engagement through real-time sentiment analysis and emotional intelligence. He also emphasizes the role of foundational models and the art of prompt engineering in solving complex problems to streamline operations and improve service delivery.

Today’s guest is Kelly Uphoff, Vice President of Data Science at Tala. Tala is a fintech company that develops an app that lets users bridge digital and cash ecosystems seamlessly to manage their finances. Kelly returns to the program to explore how to drive inclusive leadership in fintech. Pulling from examples at Tala, a company that has built a tech leadership team where 75% of its members are women, Kelly delves into the strategies that create a people-first culture, emphasizing the importance of flexibility, diversity, and leadership modeling. To access Emerj’s frameworks for AI readiness, ROI, and strategy, visit Emerj Plus at emerj.com/p1.

Today’s guest is Kelly Uphoff, Vice President of Data Science at Tala. Tala is a fintech company that develops an app that lets users bridge digital and cash ecosystems seamlessly to manage their finances. Kelly joins Emerj Senior Editor Matthew DeMello on today’s show to discuss how AI and machine learning are driving financial inclusion for underserved populations. Throughout, she explains how Tala leverages alternative data to expand access to credit for individuals shut out of traditional financial systems. Kelly also shares how Tala’s use of proprietary data and advanced AI tools, such as large language models (LLMs), is helping to identify creditworthiness in customers historically overlooked by legacy financial institutions. To access Emerj’s frameworks for AI readiness, ROI, and strategy, visit Emerj Plus at emerj.com/p1.

Today’s guest is Supriya Gupta, General Manager and Vice President of Product at Credit Karma. Credit Karma is a multinational personal finance brand under Intuit that makes products free to consumers and helps them find lenders. Supriya returns to this podcast, straight from her appearance on the AI in Business podcast, to explore the evolving role of personalization and AI in credit workflows. She dives into how Credit Karma is laying the foundation for autonomous finance, a concept aimed at minimizing human intervention in financial decision-making. To access Emerj’s frameworks for AI readiness, ROI, and strategy, visit Emerj Plus at emerj.com/p1.

Today’s guest is David Thompson, Chief Technology Officer at American Express Global Business Travel. American Express Global Business Travel – better known as Amex GBT and officially known as Global Business Travel Group, Inc. – is a multinational travel management company based in New York City. Employing 18,000 people across over 140 countries, Amex GBT operates independently from American Express, which maintains a minority interest in the company. David returns to the platform to discuss the complexities and opportunities of deploying AI in B2B workflows and industries. As AI becomes a cornerstone of digital transformation, B2B companies are navigating unique challenges in integrating these technologies into their products and services while maintaining high standards of security and compliance. To discover more AI use cases, best practice guides, white papers, frameworks, and more, join Emerj Plus at emerj.com/p1.

Today's guest is Swami Jayaraman, Senior Vice President and Chief Enterprise Architect at Iron Mountain. Iron Mountain is a publicly traded global leader in storage and information management services trusted by over 240,000 organizations worldwide, including 90% of the Fortune 1000 for over 70 years. Swami returns to the program to talk about use cases in risk management, cybersecurity, and customer experience in financial services spaces – and what they can tell financial leaders about the concrete abilities of AI to unlock efficiencies in these areas. Together with Emerj Senior Editor Matthew DeMello, Swami overviews how AI can analyze ID documents, monitor loan agreements, and automate regulatory reporting. If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!