The Irish Tech News Podcast

As AI is becoming more common place and innovative, new uses are being found for it.  Higher education for example could benefit from the implementation of bespoke AI chatbots. One person who knows all about this is Sean O’Grady, Lead Learning Designer and Deputy AI Futurist at the IDEA Lab, Imperial Business School.
The IDEA Lab is developing tailor-made, course-specific AI avatar lecturers that act as digital twins to several of Imperial’s teaching professors. A key strength of the avatars is that they can provide students with real-time specialist knowledge, regardless of geographical distance or time zone differences (in the case of online courses. 
I recently caught up with Sean and he spoke to me about his background, AI, bespoke AI chatbots, and more.
More about Sean O’Grady:
As Lead Learning Designer in the IDEA Lab, Sean collaborates with faculty, academic and programme management and media to design and evaluate online programmes within the business school, primarily the Global Online MBA (GMBA). Sean explores how technology can be used to create impactful learning experiences while maintaining a pedagogy first approach to my work.

Northern Ireland is a launchpad for thriving startups, and one startup that has done very well is Belfast based Cloudsmith. Back in March they had an oversubscribed Series B which raised £18m from key investors. To find out more about Cloudsmith and the startup scene in Belfast I caught up with Glenn Weinstein the CEO of Cloudsmith.
Glenn talks about his background, what Cloudsmith does, Belfast, Unix, open source libraries and more.
More about Cloudsmith:
Made with love in Belfast and trusted around the world. Cloudsmith is the fully-managed solution for controlling, securing, and distributing software artifacts. Led by industry veterans united by a common passion to make it easier for software teams to do their jobs well. They are building the future of the software supply chain.

With a record number of companies vying for US bank charters, it’s crucial to understand the driving forces behind this surge. The regulatory environment is more welcoming than ever, allowing fintechs to innovate and meet the needs of consumers who feel underserved by traditional banks.  
But it's not just about quantity; it’s about quality. In a saturated market, how can these new entrants provide real value that stands out? It's all about solving real problems and creating unique offerings that resonate with consumers. Keep an eye on companies that understand the nuances of the market and can adapt their strategies. 
What’s your take? Tune in and hear the take from Tiffani Montez and David Penn, in the latest episode of One Vision Podcast, hosted by Theodora Lau.

00:00 Underserved Banking Opportunity
14:44 Life Stage Subscriptions
15:54 Niche Neobanks Strategy
16:28 Who Will Win
18:21 Incumbents Reaction
20:09 Pressure To Modernize
21:25 Rethinking Bank Models
22:33 Trust And Charters
24:36 Next 12 Months Outlook

Hot take: “We don’t need more banks. We need better banks.” Tiffani Montez
Hot take: “The sky is getting darker.” David Penn
Keywords: Fintech, Financial Inclusion, Neobank, Open Banking 
#Fintech #neobank #AI #Financialinclusion 

More about our guests 
🌐Tiffani Montez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffani-montez-b794283/ 
🌐David Penn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-penn-25431313/ 
More about our host and One Vision Podcast 
🌐Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 
🌐Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence (book): https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 
🌐Unconventional Ventures (company): https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 
🌐Listen to all One Vision Podcast episodes by visiting: https://shows.acast.com/one-vision 
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Back in 2020 I had John Brady CEO and Co-Founder of Bowsy on the Irish Tech News podcast. John had just launched Bowsy during Covid and since then Bowsy has grown and are launching a new service powered by AI. John is back on the podcast to talk about what’s happened since we last spoke and the new AI powered service launching in April.. 
John talks about apprenticeships, careers advice,  remote working, AI, more women in stem and more.
More about Bowsy:
Bowsy is an AI-powered talent assessment and early careers platform that helps organisations identify, assess and recruit high-potential talent more effectively. Our platform combines AI-driven profiling with real-world project assessments to improve hiring decisions across graduate recruitment, early careers programmes and specialised workforce assessments such as driver capability.based on real-world business challenges.
Bowsy helps organisations move beyond traditional CV screening and recruitment channels by providing a data-driven approach to identifying candidate potential, motivation and role fit.

In this episode, Theodora Lau interviews Jennifer White, Senior Director, Global Banking & Payments Intelligence at J.D. Power, about consumer behavior, financial resilience, AI in finance, and future trends. They explore how consumers are navigating financial challenges and the affordability crisis, against the backdrop of “an era of resilience” — with two-thirds of Americans being financially unhealthy. They also discuss AI's role in financial literacy, MrBeast’s move into fintech, why Chime is leading new account acquisition, and implications for existing players.
Looking to understand the current and future landscape of consumer finance? Hint: Fundamentals in customer experience are more important than ever. 

00:00 Welcome Back Jennifer
01:24 Consumer Resilience Snapshot
06:26 Holiday Reality Check
16:21 MrBeast Meets Fintech
23:46 Chime and New Account Churn
28:41 Consumer Trust and AI Tools
41:31 Back to Service Fundamentals

Hot take: "Basics of customer experience still matter."

Keywords: AI, fintech, Buy Now Pay Later, Trust, MrBeast, Chime, Financial Resilience, Financial Literacy, Fraud, Affordability 

More about our guest 
🌐Jennifer White on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-white-57257424/  
More about our host and One Vision Podcast 
🌐Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 
🌐Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence (book): https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 
🌐Unconventional Ventures (company): https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 
🌐Listen to all One Vision Podcast episodes by visiting: https://shows.acast.com/one-vision