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BECU Acquires GenAI Capabilities and Team from EarnUp
Washington-based BECU has acquired generative artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and 13 team members from FinTech company EarnUp. EarnUp's AI Advisor will be a tool that gives BECU’s members real-time financial guidance and analytics.
Alloy and Mastercard Team up to Help Accelerate the Onboarding Process
Identity and fraud prevention platform provider Alloy has inked a global partnership with Mastercard to introduce an enhanced member onboarding solution for CUs. The joint offering from Alloy and Mastercard will leverage both identity verification and open finance to help streamline onboarding and fight fraud.
Delfi Launches Optimal Duration Index
Delfi, the AI-native risk management platform for CUs, has introduced the Optimal Duration Index (ODIN), a benchmark designed to bring clarity to loan origination decisions. ODIN is powered by Delfi’s Overwatch analytics engine, which runs high-fidelity simulations of CUs’ balance sheets to help pinpoint the loan portfolio duration that maximizes profitability.
Kohler CU Partners with Swaystack
Kohler CU and Swaystack announced a new partnership focused on the first login to digital banking. The onboarding process begins with personalized emails containing unique URLs, prompting members to complete initial actions such as enrolling in online banking, downloading the mobile app, opting into e-statements, and setting up direct deposits.
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AI PCs to Surge, Claiming over Half the Market by 2026
Personal computers with AI embedded in the hardware components and software stack are set to hit 77.8 million units in 2025, making up 31% of the global PC market. The percentage of AI PCs in use is expected to grow from just 5% in 2023 to 94% by 2028.
WatchGuard Updates Tabletop Firewall Series with High-Speed Networking and AI-Powered Security
Network security vendor WatchGuard is now updating its Firebox Tabletop series of firewalls with new components and specifications to deal with modern and emerging threats. WatchGuard is rolling out four new Firebox Tabletop series (T-Series) models to address specific use cases across the SMB market: T115-W: Entry-level wireless model with Wi-Fi 7 and 4GB of RAM, designed for solo professionals and micro-offices T125: Traditional top-selling model with faster UTM (Unified Threat Management) and data transfer, ideal for small businesses, supports Wi-Fi 7. T145: Features high-speed 10G network port, fanless operation with ultra-low-power CPU, and optional Wi-Fi 7. T185: The most powerful model offering 250% faster branch office VPN performance compared to legacy T85, with ultra-quiet fan operation.
IT Buyers Are Investing in AI PCs — with No Clue How to Use Them
“The use cases around AI PCs are not fully fleshed out just yet,” said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager at IDC. “Companies are struggling to figure out if AI PCs are worth the extra investment or not, especially when there’s a lot of AI that can be done in the cloud, as opposed to on the device itself.” Microsoft has branded AI PCs as Copilot+ PCs in a bid to showcase the company’s genAI-based Copilot tools (and encourage the purchase of Windows 11 hardware). Chipmakers are in the mix as well: Intel, Qualcomm and AMD all offer chips with AI processors for Copilot PCs.
Google Makes an AI Play with ChromeOS PCs
Google is making a strategic play in the AI PC space in a bid to slow Microsoft’s generative AI (genAI) technologies in Windows 11 from gobbling up every desktop. The company is promoting its brand of AI PCs with Gemini AI services integrated into ChromeOS, which is a Linux-based OS in Chromebooks. The goal: make Gemini a viable alternative to Microsoft’s Copilot, which is prepackaged in Windows 11.
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Agentic AI Is Poised to Transform Banking’s Core Functions
Agentic AI is beginning to show tangible value across banking activities including loan processing, fraudulent transactions or portfolio management. This article dives into how AI is helping in all of these areas.
Absolute Security Rehydrate Restores Compromised Endpoints
Now generally available in the Absolute Secure Endpoint solution, Rehydrate reportedly delivers: Near instant business continuity endpoint restoration through a fully remote, single-click process. When your remote, mobile, and hybrid Windows PCs go down, recovery playbooks ranging from targeted remediations to full OS recovery can be executed across connected devices at enterprise scale.
A Recipe for Fairness? Tackling AI Bias in Banking
The data that gen AI models are trained on often contains historical bias that users cannot easily detect. When that bias is baked into a model it can quickly expand and spread, compromising fairness and exposing FIs to legal, financial, and reputational harm. The author states that to avoid baking bias in, it must be carefully sifted out. She concludes that getting AI right and mitigating risks isn’t a matter of luck, it’s about method which she explores in this article.
First Northern CU Implements AI-Powered Calculators to Provide More Accurate Loan Guidance
Appli, a provider of artificial intelligence-powered financial calculators, announced that First Northern CU has selected its calculator platform to improve how members explore borrowing options online. The CU said that they value how Appli's system provides realistic payment quotes based on members' actual credit situations rather than showing only the credit union's best rates.
Microsoft Releases Windows Backup for Organizations to Ease Migration of User Settings to Windows 11
Microsoft recently released Windows Backup for Organizations. The somewhat misleading name masks its real purpose: making it easier to migrate or restore system settings between machines joined to Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) as part of Microsoft 365. In short, this is not a utility for backing up data files, folders, installed applications or for executing disaster recovery. Instead, what’s being backed up to the cloud is a user’s Windows settings and a list of their Microsoft Store apps, so that they can be restored to a new machine.
ChatGPT Isn't Just for Chatting Anymore - Now It Will Do Your Work for You
OpenAI recently launched a ChatGPT agent, which the company claims can handle complex tasks for you from start to finish. Some examples OpenAI provided were creating slideshows, analyzing competitors, and briefing you on your day.
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Protecting ATMs, Cash Boxes Through Monitoring
ATM security is complicated and requires a multifaceted approach to be successful. It takes a combined approach to keep ATMs safe, and one tool that can play a particularly impactful role is monitoring solutions. This article discusses monitoring solutions for both ATMs and cash boxes.
Mastercard, NCR Atleos, and ITCARD to Enhance Contactless Experiences at ATMs
When using their mobile phone at an ATM, the cardholder is usually asked to enter their PIN in addition to authenticating themselves via mobile wallet using biometrics. However, The Consumer Device Cardholder Verification Method (CDCVM) streamlines this process, verifying a cardholder’s identity using a mobile device for contactless payments. The consumer authenticates themselves on their phone before tapping the ATM to start their transaction thereby streamlining interactions at the ATM—no physical wallet, plastic card or PIN required.
Replacing the ATM: Pros and Cons of New vs. Remanufactured
ATMs are costly devices - not only for front investment for the device, but also for repair costs, installation, security, replenishment and other aspects. By some estimates, the lifespan of an ATM is five to 10 years at best, probably closer to five to seven. Refurbished ATMs are significantly cheaper than new ATMs, but they aren't always the best fit. This article looks at the pros and cons of deploying them.
ATM Fees Increase for 3rd Consecutive Year
ATM fees have increased again this year, hitting $4.86, up from $4.77 in 2024, according to Bankrate's Checking Account and ATM Fee Survey. The fee consists of an average of $3.22 from the FI running the ATM itself and $1.64 from the user's FI for using an out-of-network ATM. This is up from $3.18 and $1.58 last year respectively.
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Why Traditional Mobile Banking Apps Are Reaching Their Limits and How Agentic UI Will Replace Them
The author contends that the next breakthrough in banking mobile apps will not be about adding more menu tabs - it will be about creating a single intelligent experience that recognizes each user, understands the products they use and knows how to make their life easier. He predicts that the Agentic UI will be the next step in the evolution of mobile banking. It is a conversational, adaptive, AI-powered interface that learns from each user’s profile, behavior and context in real time. He concludes that Agentic UI means fewer clicks, faster answers and the feeling for users that their FI truly understands them.
PenFed CU Introduces Mobile Cash Deposit at Participating Retail Stores
PenFed CU is partnering with InComm Payments to offer members mobile cash deposits at participating retail stores including Dollar General, Walgreens, Kroger, participating 7-Eleven locations and many more. Using the PenFed Mobile App, members can generate a one-time use barcode, show it to the cashier to scan and complete a cash deposit transaction.
Driving Engagement with Mobile Banking Experiences
This article discusses how smaller FIs can bring a distinctive look and feel to market on a third-party platform — without the major effort or investment that an unaffordable in-house development project would require. It highlights how smaller institutions deliver a mobile banking experience that elevates their brand.
A+ Federal Credit Union Recognized for Best Mobile Banking App in North America
A+ Federal Credit Union ($2.54B) announced that their A+ Mobile App has been recognized as Best Mobile Banking App in Global Finance's 2025 World's Best Consumer Digital Bank Awards. A+FCU ranked in the top spot for Best Mobile Banking App in both the United States country category and North America regional category.
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Two New Online Toolkits for Scams and Check Fraud Mitigation
With payments fraud on the rise, the Federal Reserve has released two new toolkits: the Scams Mitigation Toolkit (Off-site) and Check Fraud Mitigation Toolkit (Off-site). These toolkits are intended to support education and increase awareness about scams and check fraud, enable the payments industry to better identify and fight them, and foster industry collaboration on fraud and scams mitigation. These toolkits complement a Synthetic Identity Payments Fraud Toolkit (Off-site) that was released in 2022.
Fraud to Cost FIs $58.3 Billion by 2030
A new study by Juniper Research forecasts a 153% surge in fraud by 2030; rising from $23 billion in 2025 to $58.3 billion in 2030. This is driven by an evolution of fraud techniques such as synthetic identity fraud, which is when identities are created using a mix of real, stolen, and fake information to create new personas to open accounts and apply for credit. This fraud innovation is driving a surge in investment in new fraud prevention techniques.
Sam Altman Fears AI-Enabled Fraud Crisis
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says it "terrifies" him that FIs still use voice-based authentication methods in an era when the AI that he has helped bring into the mainstream can trick such technology. Altman said: “I am very nervous that we have an impending, significant, impending fraud crisis. Right now, it’s a voice call; soon it’s going be a video or FaceTime that’s indistinguishable from reality."
How Attackers Poison AI Tools and Defenses
Cyberattackers are using generative AI to draft polished scam emails, create malicious code and write persuasive phishing lures. They are also learning how to turn AI systems themselves into points of compromise. This article takes a deep dive into all of these somewhat frightening trends.
How Security Teams Are Putting AI to Work Right Now
AI is moving from proof-of-concept into everyday security operations. The idea of an “AI copilot” is gaining traction. These tools act like virtual assistants for security teams. They can answer questions, help with investigations, and even write scripts or queries. The next phase may include AI-driven correlation across tools, better attack simulations, and adaptive response workflows. As products mature, they will get better at understanding context and intent.
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Technology and Marketing
How Statements Impact Your Brand
The author is convinced that statements are one of the most consistent and direct touch points a FI has and when designed thoughtfully, they can reinforce trust, strengthen relationships, and elevate your brand. She strongly recommends that FIs transform this often-overlooked touchpoint into a powerful brand asset by optimizing statements with clear communication, intuitive design and security-focused elements. She goes on to discuss brand elevation via smarter statements.
How CU Lending Programs Can Capture Market Share
As new car prices rise—driven by inflation, tariffs, and the loss of EV credits—more consumers are turning to pre-owned vehicles. This shift has boosted trade-in valuations but also intensified competition in the pre-owned car market, especially around rates and terms where CUs traditionally stand out. This article states that to keep pace, CUs must adjust their asset-liability management (ALM) strategies and pricing models, while also boosting operational efficiencies. It concludes that CUs should aim to automate more than 70% of system decisions, adopt AI for document processing and alternative scoring, ensure weekend loan officer availability with a flexible mindset, and clearly demonstrate fast funding capabilities to dealers.
This Credit Union Leans on AI-Driven Marketing to Execute Efficient, Targeted Campaigns
Education Credit Union implemented AI-driven marketing tools with a vetted AI partner to allow their team to better analyze member data, identify high-potential prospects, and launch campaigns with greater precision. Their real world experience offers practical takeaways for other CUs.
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Consumers like to Pay Bills Digitally, but Are Not Sold on AI as Part of the Process
3 in 10 consumers have paid a bill using a same-day or real-time payment channel in the past 12 months, according to ACI Worldwide’s 2025 Speedpay Pulse report. Gen Zers are the most likely to favor such channels, with 46% using them to pay a bill in the past six months, followed by Millennials (37%). Their research also found that the vast majority of respondents, 89%, still prefer to engage with a live call center agents when resolving an issue with a payment, as opposed to engaging with an AI-powered solution.
Mastercard Launches On-Demand Decisioning Tool
Mastercard has moved to give FIs more control over authorization decisions through the launch of the On-Demand Decisioning (ODD) tool. Powered by a fully customizable rules engine, ODD allows a FI to automate and enforce unique business logic and policies, delivering instant approvals and declines on its behalf.
Minnesota CU Is Launching Its Own Stablecoin
St. Cloud Financial CU is launching its own white-label stablecoin later this year to retain member deposits. Their research found that 22% of members are already engaged or interested in digital assets. Looking forward they expect core integrated digital vaults and institutional stablecoins to scale after GENIUS Act clarity.
Mastercard Launches AI Card Design Platform
The Mastercard AI Card Design Studio promises to bring speed, affordability and advanced customization to issuers. Users can upload logos and product details, use AI-assisted design features, customize as needed and instantly download brand-compliant designs in minutes.
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Understanding CASB’s Role Across the Network Edge
A cloud access security broker (CASB) is a security solution that sits between cloud consumers and cloud service providers and enforces security policies. A CASB is an umbrella term for a suite of functionality, including malware detection, data loss prevention (DLP), authentication, credential mapping, and shadow IT control, all bundled together by a vendor to secure cloud access, and offered as either a cloud-hosted service or an on-premise software package or hardware appliance. It acts as an intermediary, managing a range of security policies and interjecting them along the way as users access cloud-based resources. Read this article to learn more about CASB.
Microsoft Is Turning Edge into an AI Browser
Microsoft recently introduced “Copilot Mode,” an AI extension designed to automate web browsing and add context to Internet content. Users can switch on “Copilot Mode” in Edge for summarization, personalized results, and to compare results across tabs. A chatbot helps users interact with search results and go deeper into searches. Copilot Mode is built atop the Edge browser for Windows 11 and Mac. It’s an opt-in feature, and users can keep Copilot Mode off if they choose.
Why You Need a Multi-Cloud Networking Services Provider
This article insists that multicloud isn’t a fad, but in fact is a sound business strategy for many types of organizations. At the most basic level, multicloud is about using resources and services across multiple cloud providers. Those services could include both infrastructure and software-as-a-service (SaaS) capabilities. While it’s easy enough for any organization to connect to any one single cloud provider at a time for any single service, it gets a bit more complex for more integrated multicloud approaches. That’s where the growing market for multicloud networking service (MCNS) fits in and what this article dives into.
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Real-World AI for Contact Centers: Meet ElevateAI
This article discusses how Nice's ElevateAI platform now includes a suite of seven Generative AI features, purpose-built to help contact center teams automate insights and streamline operations. These include: 1) AutoSummary; 2) Agent Action Items; 3) Summary Details; 4) Interaction Topics; 5) Agent Coaching Assistant; 6) Conversation Composition; and 7) Ask ElevateAI Q&A.
The author states that there are four myths that he has discovered from organizations that have deployed Agentic AI so far. They are: Myth #1 – Faster deployment means easier design; Myth #2 – LLM-only, prompt based AI Agents are enterprise-ready; Myth #3 – You can just plug AI into the old workflow; and Myth #4 – AI lowers costs immediately.
Evolving Fraud Threats Demand a Layered Contact Center Defense
Fraud attacks on call centers are on the rise, with growth particularly significant in the financial services industry. This article says that fighting back against the wide variety of attacks that contact centers face begins with adopting a mindset of layered defenses and real-time detection. It concludes that the critical step is creating a shift in mindset from point-in-time and point-of-interaction fraud prevention to an always-on, dynamic and layered approach.
6 Best Practices for a Quality Assurance Program
Conformance should be measured and confirmed when training agents. The author recommends these six best practices to consider when setting up or revamping your Quality Assurance Program: 1) Align your front-line training to focus on “How” the work (orders, returns, appointments and payments); 2) Define your customer experience; 3) Build your interaction process to deliver your services to create delight from your defined experience; 4) Break out your interaction process in digestible steps; 5) Once you have the QA form in place, pilot the QA form using a soft coaching approach; and 6) Be sure to calibrate.
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