The Irish Tech News Podcast

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

The Irish Tech News Podcast is now 10 years old ,and over the years we have covered a wide variety of tech topics over 1700 episodes. To celebrate this milestone I have a very special guest, Alexia Cambon appearing on the podcast. Alexia, is a senior director of research at Microsoft and I caught up with her at the recent Microsoft AI Summit in Dublin.
Alexia talks about her background, AI in the work place, intelligence work, writing for AI, copilot, and more.
More about Alexia Cambon:
Alexia leads research for the Future of Work & M365 team as a Senior Director at Microsoft, working to identify emerging research opportunities and delving into customers’ most pressing workforce challenges. She co-leads Microsoft’s cross-company research initiative examining AI’s impact on productivity and performance, and is a seasoned presenter and speaker with a passion for storytelling and creative thinking. Alexia's areas of focus include AI, hybrid work design, and organisational culture. She has written for HBR and The Guardian, and has been featured in NPR, Forbes and The Times (UK).

In this new episode One Vision podcast, Theodora Lau welcomes back Christopher Mims, Technology Columnist for the Wall Street Journal, to discuss his 2026 book “How to AI,” a practical guide aimed at the 90% who aren’t early adopters. They discuss the book’s “24 Laws of AI”, the evolving role of AI in the workplace, and how to prepare for the new future (without the hype). 

Who will win the AI race? And what might Christopher be writing about next year? Stay till the end of the conversation for the hint … and it is not what you’d expect! 

You can order a copy of Mims’ new book, “How to AI”, on bookshop.org and Amazon. And you can find my recent review of the book here on LinkedIn. 

#AI #FutureOfWork #Agents #Automation 

00:00 Welcome 
01:46 Why This AI Book
04:13 Durable AI Principles
06:22 Competition between Firms
08:58 Agents as Assembly Robots
14:43 Trust and Delegation Lines
16:37 Kaizen and How the Principle Applies
24:05 Key Takeaways

Hot take: “ We're in this early DIY phase of AI.”
Hot take: “It's just as important to figure out what AI can't do for you as it is to figure out what it can do … The opportunity cost for pursuing AI for the wrong types of tasks is bigger than ever.” 

Keywords 
AI, generative AI, future of work, automation, trust

More about our guest 
Christopher Mims is a tech columnist for the Wall Street Journal, where he covers AI, technology, and their implications on society. His latest book, "How to AI," breaks down complex concepts into actionable insights, making AI accessible to everyone. Mims has interviewed experts across various fields, providing a comprehensive view of how AI is being integrated into different sectors.
🌐Christopher Mims on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-mims-club/ 
🌐How to AI (book): https://a.co/d/079cJso1 

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