Authentic Intelligence in Financial Health
Glen shares highlights from the Financial Health Network’s EMERGE conference, including interviews with a pair of trailblazing co-founders: Debbie Rewards’ Frida Leibowitz and Prosprous.ai’s Ted Leung. Also- Illinois kicks the interchange can down the road (again), Pope Leo pleads for humanity in AI, and a campaign to repurpose dopamine hits for financial wellness.
Are We Approaching an AI Trough of Disillusionment?
Glen and John dissect a recent online airing of grievances regarding AI’s perceived shortcomings. To Glen’s surprise, John finds validity to some of these criticisms. Also- the Pope weighs in, robots close the human gap, the term “neuro-symbolic AI” emerges, and the green shoots of a “slow tech” movement may be emerging.
What Keeps CEOs Up at Night May Depend on Their Charter…
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.
Cool Parents, 21st Century Investors
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.
Two Conferences, Two Coasts, One Exhausted Fintech Geek
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.
Agents & AI & Trust & Narrative Control
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.
Is the “Underbanked” Concept Ripe for a Rethink?
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.
Keeping It Small, Sustainable
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.
Mission (Rock) Accomplished
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.
New Analysis Supports Credit Union “Everyman” Claims
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.