In this session, John Best explores the launch of ChatGPT’s new finance capabilities and what the rise of AI-powered financial agents could mean for credit unions and financial institutions. The discussion covers personalized financial management, subscription tracking, agentic AI, data ownership, member relationships, and the opportunities — and risks — facing financial institutions as AI becomes more integrated into consumers’ financial lives.
May 20, 2026
March 25, 2026
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Media
Glen chats with Lee Wetherington about Jack Henry’s newly minted survey of nearly 200 credit union and bank CEOs, exploring how strategic priorities and top concerns differ by group and how they’ve shifted over time. Also, a treasure trove of new industry data- on consumer payment choice, household economics, crypto/stablecoin usage, and a breezy 269-page NCUA stroke of GENIUS for your holiday reading pleasure.
Our continuing coverage of the NACUSO Reimagine and Nacha Smarter Faster Payments conferences features a pair of interviews: NACUSO’s advocacy lead Zach Pfister on modernizing investment rules to match 2026 realities, and Dykema’s Lauren Quigley on FIs’ role as open banking realists, creating a safe environment for the inevitable.
Glen gathers highlights from the annual conferences for both Nacha in San Diego and NACUSO in Orlando, including conversations with Nacha CEO Jane Larimer on Same Day ACH milestones, Duome Co-Founder Eric Berg on a Next Big Idea for housing, and the Digital Sovereignty Alliance’s Molly Woodman on the state of stablecoin.
Glen connects with Senso Co-Founder/CEO Saroop Bharwani about his firm’s approach to addressing some of the greatest disruptions emerging from the Agentic AI explosion. Also- Gen Z perspectives continue to evolve and surprise, and behavioral science gets a sidecar.
Glen speaks with Andrew Warren about the Financial Health Network’s new report which makes the case for modernizing the definition of underbanked consumers. Also- X Money makes its long-promised debut, and the OCC potentially rides to the rescue of interchange (and workable payment processes). Plus a discount code for May’s fast-approaching EMERGE conference.
In this session, the conversation centered on how AI is rapidly reshaping the credit union landscape, from fraud prevention and operational efficiency to member experience. We discussed real-world use cases, risks, and the growing need for thoughtful governance as institutions begin to adopt AI more strategically.
Glen speaks with the CEOs of two sub-$100 million CUs (Josh Urbick and Doug Wadsworth) about their respective efforts to advance the small credit union cause. Also, the latest developments at Anthropic and Coinbase highlight the perils facing CUs- and financial services in general.
Glen recaps an action-packed CU Unplugged “un-conference,” featuring unique perspectives from leaders of three participating credit unions (Keys FCU, Mid Hudson Valley FCU, State Department FCU) and real-time reflections from Defense Credit Union Council President & CEO Tony Hernandez.
Based on the size of the audience Americas Credit Unions’ economic team attracts, I’m clearly not the only one who considers their Economic Update one of the highlights of the annual government Affairs Conference.
Our final batch of America's Credit Unions GAC coverage- Glen speaks with Ncontracts’ Stephanie Lyon about the shifting yet inevitable regulatory/compliance landscape. Also- another Domino falls on Paze’s roadmap, and Illinois’ interchange debacle proves too geeky for prediction markets- but not for a punk rock reference.
In this session, we discussed our key takeaways from the recent Government Affairs Conference. If you missed GAC, it's a great opportunity to watch along and catch up on the hottest financial topics coming out of DC. If you were at GAC for the excitement, we’d love for you to watch along, compare your notes, and let us know in the comments what stood out most to you from the conference.
Meet The BIGcast Network
The fintech industry is evolving rapidly, and the BIGcast is here to delve into its impact on the credit union industry. Our esteemed guests from across the financial, technology and security sectors will provide thrilling perspectives on the latest fintech innovations that are poised to revolutionize the way we handle our finances. Each week join thought-leader, John Best and subject matter expert, Glen Sarvady as they take a quick dive into the financial industry’s current breakthroughs and latest hot topics.
John Best
CEO, Best Innovation Group
Glen Sarvady
Managing Principal, 154 Advisors