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Backbase Unveils AI-Powered Banking Platform
Backbase unveiled its new AI-powered banking platform that combines their unified data foundation, Intelligence Fabric, with Agentic AI technology. Agentic AI delivers modular, intelligent, purpose-built agents designed specifically for banking and financial services. These agents embed into a variety of operations to help automate tasks, indicate next-best actions, and increase productivity.
FIS Harmonizes Payments with Launch of Unified Money Movement Hub
FIS has launched its Money Movement Hub, a payments solution that helps to simplify the back-end infrastructure of CUs by enabling them to connect to multiple payment networks and process payments in one place. The cloud-native platform is core-agnostic and allows CUs to start with the payment types they need, then add new capabilities over time through a “pay-as-you-grow” model.
Prizeout Launches Debit Rewards Program for CUs
Prizeout, a FinTech specializing in digital gift card payouts and cashback rewards, announced CashBack + Pay, a cashback program for debit card holders whose cards have been issued by credit unions. CashBack+ Pay gives credit union debit card holdings instant rewards averaging 6.8% of the transaction amount.
Galileo Launches Payment Method Switch to Help CUs Stay Top of Wallet
Galileo Financial Technologies has launched Galileo Payment Method Switch, powered by Atomic. This product enables CUs to make it easier for people to update their default payment method—including debit cards, credit cards, and accounts—across leading merchants, subscription services, utility providers, and digital wallets like Venmo or PayPal, all in one place.
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How Lenovo Is Trying to Make AI PCs Relevant for CIOs
Lenovo AI Now is a small language model that focuses on a limited number of tasks such as document organization and device management, but does it locally, so users don’t have to worry about exposing their data to the outside world. Lenovo says AI Now is designed to be complementary to Microsoft CoPilot. “At this stage, AI PCs do not offer enough compelling value to justify large-scale investment, particularly for enterprises with existing AI capabilities in cloud or data center environments,” said Eric Helmer, CTO at Rimini Street. “Many AI workloads can already be effectively managed without requiring a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) on every employee’s device.”
Dell Data Center Modernization Gear Targets AI
Dell has rolled out new PowerEdge R470, R570, R670 and R770 servers featuring Intel Xeon 6 with P-cores processors in single- and dual-socket configurations designed to handle high-performance computing, virtualization, analytics and artificial intelligence inferencing. Meanwhile, the new PowerProtect DD6410 appliance is targeted at small organizations and remote offices and features storage capacity starting at 12 TB and scaling to 256 TB, along with faster restore speeds and better data deduplication.
Uptime’s AI-in-a-Box Offers Turnkey Enterprise-Grade AI —Without the Cloud
Uptime Industries has unveiled Lemony which is a turnkey stackable device that comes preloaded with multiple large language models (LLMs) and can serve up to five users per node, connected directly to a PC or to a LAN with no Internet connectivity. As business needs expand, multiple nodes can be connected into a cluster, with automatic failover. Lemony says a four-node cluster can support up to 50 users and comes with six pre-loaded genAI models. Subscriptions start at $499 per month for a single node accessed by up to five users, billed annually; the setup includes the node, software, apps for Windows and Mac, and technical support.
Lenovo Expands Enterprise AI Server Options
Lenovo announced ThinkSystem SR680a V4 which features nearly two dozen processors in an air-cooled chassis and can run inference workloads up to 11 times faster than the company’s previous-generation hardware. Lenovo also introduced two other new hardware offerings based on machines from its existing ThinkSystem SR675 server lineup: 1) The first combines SR675 V3 servers with Cisco Nexus switch series and 2) The second is also based on the SR675 series, but this one is optimized to run IBM’s watsonx software suite, which helps companies build AI models and manage the data that they process.
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Closing the AI Gap in Banking: Consider Low-Code or No-Code Platforms
This article states that low-code and no-code AI platforms can be a key accelerator for FIs looking to bridge the AI gap. These platforms allow teams to implement AI-driven solutions with minimal reliance on deep technical expertise. For example, Intelligent Data Processing (IDP) modules can automatically extract, classify, and analyze data from unstructured sources like PDFs or e-mails. The result is enhanced operational efficiency and regulatory compliance. By lowering technical barriers, these platforms enable FIs to experiment, iterate, and scale AI solutions more effectively—creating a foundation for broader transformation.
How Microsoft Wants AI Agents to Use Your PC for You
Soon, Microsoft says, you’ll be able to let a chatbot — or “AI agent” — connect to apps running on your PC and manipulate them on your behalf. However, this will all only work with apps where the developer has actively chosen to support it. Plus, none of this would happen automatically in the background — only when you explicitly ask a chatbot for something.
Cato Networks Introduces AI-Powered Policy Analysis Engine
Cato Networks announced a new policy analysis engine for its cloud-based secure access service edge platform that the company says will optimize and improve SASE policies, reduce risk, simplify compliance, and reduce manual maintenance efforts. The first use case of the policy engine is designed for firewall as a service (FWaaS) environments in which “firewall rule bloat” is present. The software automatically detects redundant, misaligned, or “risky” rules, and recommends changes to improve enforcement, while simultaneously monitoring policy configurations to enforce least privilege access. It can help identify violations, providing guidance on how to remediate the problem and align policies with compliance regulations.
The Transformative Power of Agentic AI in Financial Services
Unlike traditional AI, which reacts to predefined inputs, agentic AI integrates proactive decision-making and autonomy, empowering FIs to anticipate and act on consumer and operational needs. While generative AI (gen AI) focuses on creating content, agentic AI goes further, enabling systems to interpret complex scenarios and act decisively in real time. While the promise of agentic AI is compelling, adoption presents many challenges - this article takes a hard look at those challenges.
Microsoft Announces Windows 365 Reserve: Backup Cloud PCs for the Enterprise – Computerworld
Microsoft announced the preview of a new service, Windows 365 Reserve, which aims to provide organizations with backups for PCs that are lost, stolen, or simply fail. It offers a temporary pre-configured Cloud PC, accessible through a browser, that, Microsoft said, “looks and feels like a physical PC, and is accessible from any device, anywhere.” The Reserve Cloud PC is managed through Microsoft Intune, and includes corporate applications, settings, and security policies, as well as Microsoft 365 apps (assuming the organization subscribes to M365) and OneDrive data sync.
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How to Make ATMs ADA Compliant
For ATMs to meet the regulations of the American Disabilities Act on the most basic level, they need to be accessible for those in wheelchairs and visually impaired users so they can have easy access to cash, but how to do that is another matter entirely. This article takes a dive into the main ADA guidelines for ATMs as well as some tools for ATMs to go above and beyond for disabled users.
Cash Keeps Place in American Wallets
Credit and debit cards continue to dominate American payments, but cash is still an important player, accounting for 14% of all consumer transactions in 2024, according to the Federal Reserve. Households earning less than $25,000 per year and adults 55 and older rely more on cash than other cohorts. In contrast, adults aged 18 to 24 are more likely to pay with a mobile phone, using their device for 45% of all payments.
ATM Digital Signage: 3 Facts to Consider
ATM digital signage can take a few different forms, but it boils down to two main types. These include a display attached on top of the ATM as a completely separate device, or by simply running looping content on the ATM when not in use or when it is loading a transaction for a user. The author concludes that these 3 things are critical when using ATM digital signage: 1) ATM digital signage works best in retail; 2) ATM digital signage needs good data; and 3) ATM digital signage needs good content.
Protecting ATMs from Cyberattacks
This article states that there is an uptick in organized ATM cyberattacks by groups trying to find any kind of exploit to take advantage of ATM networks. Many of these groups come out of Eastern Europe and coordinate their efforts to look for any sort of possible entry into the processor, switch or the remote management system and so forth. The article goes on to layout some surprisingly simple ways to to help thwart ATM cyberattacks.
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66% of Zillennials Use Their Phones as Branch
A recent report from PYMNTS reveals that zillennials, the demographic cohort straddling the late 20s and early 30s, are a driving force behind the evolution of digital banking, with a unique blend of tech-savviness and reliance on traditional FIs. A significant 66% of zillennials primarily use mobile banking for their financial needs, making them 47% more likely to do so than the average consumer. This highlights their preference for digital access over physical branch interactions, with 22% reporting they hadn’t visited a physical branch or ATM in the year prior to PYMNTS' survey.
Digital Wallets Fall Down on Fraud Protection and Data Minimization
Digital wallets provide a variety of benefits to consumers, including convenience speed, security, and record keeping, but they also pose risks for users and stand to be improved in several areas, says a study from Consumers Reports. Among the wallets providers evaluated, Cash App, PayPal, and Venmo monitor account and transaction activity for fraud, while Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay don’t, according to the study. In the case of the latter three wallets, responsibility for fraud monitoring falls to the card issuer involved in the transaction, the report says. Another key finding is the lack of data minimization among wallet providers. In these instances, wallet providers collect more information than necessary to provide the service and use that data for marketing purposes, according to the report.
US In-Store Mobile Wallet Use Sees 4.3% Increase Since 2022
While U.S. consumers are rapidly embracing mobile wallets for peer-to-peer payments, their adoption for in-store transactions still lags behind many international counterparts. For in-store purchases, the U.S. shows a comparatively low adoption rate, with only 17% of consumers using mobile payments for their last transaction. This figure positions the U.S. behind leaders like Japan (35%) and Singapore, and is attributed, in part, to factors such as outdated terminal infrastructure, slower technological adoption and persistent consumer ties to traditional payment methods. Despite this lag, the share of in-store payments made with mobile/digital wallets in the U.S. did see an increase of 4.3% between 2022 and 2024, mirroring a broader trend away from traditional cards and cash, which saw declines of 7.7% and 8.4% respectively in the same period for in-store use.
Mobile Banking App Uses AI to Protect Users from Shoulder-Surfing
BBVA has added an artificial intelligence engine to its mobile banking app that hides user's data when it detects when more than one pair of eyes is viewing the screen. The 'discrete mode' AI has been trained to recognize faces, making sensitive financial data illegible to possible onlookers and shoulder-surfing cyber criminals. Users can choose whether to make their data always visible, always hidden, or in smart mode, which only shields the screen if more than one person is looking at the app.
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8 Security Risks Overlooked in the Rush to Implement AI
According to a study from the World Economic Forum conducted in collaboration with Accenture, 63% of enterprises fail to assess the security of AI tools before deployment, introducing a range of risks. The failure to adequately test AI systems before deployment exposes organizations to a range of vulnerabilities that differ significantly from traditional software risks. Here are 8 of the most prevelant: 1) Data exposure; 2) Model-level vulnerabilities; 3) Model integrity and adversarial attacks; 4) Systemic integration risks; 5) Access control failures; 6) Runtime security failures; 7) Compliance violations; and 8) Broader operational impacts.
Visa Unveils AI Fraud Fighting Tool
Visa has unveiled Aric Risk Hub, an AI-based fraud prevention platform designed to help protect FIs against a broad spectrum of fraud and financial crime. Implemented at Eika Gruppen, an alliance of 46 local banks in Norway, the technology was deemed responsible for a 90% reduction in phishing losses in 2024 vs 2023.
Securing Windows 11 and Server 2025: What CISOs Should Know About the Latest Updates
Microsoft’s latest rollouts to Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025 include the arrival of Recall and hotpatching. This article covers what IT Departments should know about the latest Windows 11 and Server 2025 updates.
SpecterOps Privilege Zones Enables Security Teams to Define Logical Access Boundaries
SpecterOps introduced Privilege Zones, a new addition to its flagship BloodHound Enterprise platform that enables IT teams to define custom security boundaries around business-critical resources and enforce least privilege access continuously in on-prem, cloud and hybrid environments. The company asserts that by grouping assets into zones, administrators can readily enforce the principle of least privilege at scale.
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Technology and Marketing
3 Tips Financial Service Marketers Need to Know to Drive Growth
This article explores how FIs can develop a marketing strategy that delivers the biggest ROI. It recommends these 3 steps financial service marketers can’t overlook: 1) Set a clear objective and KPIs; 2) Build a financial services marketing mix; and 3) Have the tools to measure and optimize.
Why the Universal Banker Model Is Still a Work in Progress
For more than a decade, many FIs have been trying to rebrand tellers as ‘universal bankers,’ or product advisors. The role has grown as FIs adapt to declining branch traffic and digital banking adoption. The article says that smaller institutions are working to bridge multiple systems to create a unified accountholder view, while their larger counterparts are using recommendation engines to help advisers recommend products. Over time, generative AI promises to arm universal bankers with a broader knowledge base, experts say. The article concludes that the greater emphasis on ROI from branches could be a major accelerant for universal banker strategies.
Member Experience: Building Trust with Members
The author is convinced that marketing efforts that fail to align with real-world member experiences no longer drive results - they actually can erode trust. He notes that in a world where members prefer as little friction as possible, experience is your brand and your most valuable marketing strategy. He concludes that credit unions that remove unnecessary barriers and deliver with clarity, speed, and trust are the ones that build loyalty and foster long-term growth.
How FIs Can Drive Long-Term Success with Card Loyalty Programs
Credit and debit card rewards programs play a key role in deepening relationships as these cards are often the initial products a consumer uses after opening an account. This article explores how 4 key trends—relationship banking, personalization, point ubiquity and flexibility in reward structures—are setting the stage for more effective card loyalty programs in 2025 and beyond.
To Build Lasting Relationships, FIs Should Expand Onboarding
In his latest report, Ongoing Onboarding: The Key to Deeper Customer Relationships, Gregory Magana, Digital Banking Analyst at Javelin Strategy & Research, detailed the four stages of the ongoing onboarding process and how FIs can leverage each of these steps to develop relationships that last. He labels those 4 stages like this: 1) Day Zero; 2) Laying the Groundwork; 3) The Linchpin of the Experience; and 4) Driving Relevance.
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Online Account Opening Is Still Underdelivering
The author is convinced that instead of defaulting to pitching checking accounts, marketers should focus first on high-yield savings accounts. He says that this works for 3 reasons: 1) Consumers looking for savings accounts are already thinking long-term; 2) Higher balances lead to stronger relationships; and 3) Reduced fraud risk. He goes on to offer some tips for building a smarter online account opening strategy.
Will Consumers Accept Open Banking?
Open banking has a lot of moving parts, but at the end of the day it might well come down to two words: consumer acceptance. “In the U.S. it does seem that consumers are willing to engage in open banking to initiate payments, to link a bank account, to do things like a digital wallet load,” said Mike Herd, Nacha Executive Vice President, ACH Network Administration. At the same time, Herd acknowledged a “generational divide, where we see less resistance by younger generations who are mobile first and have been on social media platforms versus older generations who might think ‘I will never do that.’”
Don't Get Left Behind: The Urgency of Instant Payments
Instant payments offer speed, transparency and operational efficiency. To successfully modernize payment capabilities and bridge the instant payments divide, the author says that FIs should focus on: Assessing Infrastructure Readiness; Prioritizing Cloud-Native Payment Hubs; Leveraging Partnerships; Developing a Phased Implementation Plan; and Educating Stakeholders.
FedNow Service Launches New Risk Mitigation Features and $1 Million Transaction Limit
A new account activity threshold feature is now available for the FedNow Service, allowing FIs to strengthen risk mitigation efforts by defining dollar value and transaction velocity thresholds based on accountholder segments. The new functionality coincides with a transaction limit increase from $500,000 to $1 million to support higher-value use cases, including business-related transactions. The FedNow Service is nearing its second anniversary with approximately 1,400 FIs on the network across all 50 states.
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Opera’s Neon Agentic AI Browser May Change How We Use the Internet
Opera has launched Neon, the first agentic AI browser designed to operate autonomously and change how users interact with the Internet. It codes, writes, and continues working — even if users go offline. Neon is a revival of the experimental browser first introduced in 2016, now enhanced with advanced AI features. According to Opera, this innovation aims to shape the chapter of agentic browsing.
Cisco Bolsters DNS Security Package
Cisco has bulked-up its Domain Name System (DNS) security software with new features including AI-enhanced DNS tunneling mitigation and stronger cloud malware detection. Cisco Secure Access – DNS Defense replaces the current Cisco Umbrella DNS Essentials and Advantage packages. They claim that the new AI support to detect and block DNS tunneling techniques can improve detection rates by 11.1% while reducing false positives. In addition, DNS Defense now employs AI-powered capabilities to prevent communications with malicious domains generated by Domain Generation Algorithm (DGA) that can launch command-and-control attacks from compromised devices.
How AI Will Transform Your Windows Web Browser
Google is rolling out AI Mode in Google Search, but according to the author the entire web is about to undergo a total generative AI transformation, starting at the browser level. He highlights the latest AI trends in the top browsers in this article.
The Six Types of Virtualization in Cloud Computing
In enterprise IT infrastructure, virtualization has gone mainstream as businesses seek more productive and cost-effective ways. This article provides a high level view of 6 types of virtualization in cloud computing: 1. Storage virtualization; 2. Network virtualization; 3. Application virtualization; 4. Desktop virtualization; 5. Data virtualization; and 6. Server virtualization.
8 Tips for Mastering Multicloud Security
A growing number of organizations are adopting multicloud strategies, enabling them to run workloads in the most appropriate locations without adding unnecessary complexity. However, ensuring multicloud security is challenging for any organization, regardless of its scope or size. This article lays out 8 ways to get maximum value out of your multicloud environment without risking your security posture.
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How AI Is Reshaping the Role of Contact Center Agents
The author posits that AI isn’t replacing agents - it is simply redefining their roles. She says that AI is automating routine inquiries, freeing agents from repetitive tasks - instead of answering the same questions all day, they now have time to build relationships, solve complex problems and deliver high-touch service that fosters loyalty. She concludes that leaders have two choices: let AI replace agents or equip them with the skills to take on more strategic roles. The smartest leaders are choosing the latter and seeing results.
The Most Powerful AI Chatbots for 2025
This article ranks 5 differecnt chatbots. Here are their results: Overall best AI chatbot: ChatGPT; Best for team collaboration: Copilot; Best for coding tasks: Claude; Best for Google Workspace users: Gemini; Best for research and planning: Perplexity.
7 Moves That Cut Call Volume in 90 Days
According to this article, audits show between 20 and 40% of inbound calls add zero value and cost $8 and $15 apiece. It adds that nearly 80% of the calls flooding a modern contact center trace back to upstream friction, not broken service. It recommends these 7 strategies to help reduce this costly inflow: 1) Find the contact friction; 2) Quantify the business bleed; 3) Install ownership and accountability; 4) Make the value-irritant call; 5) Dive into the dirty details; 6) Attack solutioning; and 7) Lock in a new normal.
Conversational AI Integration with Contact Center Platforms
Conversational AI is a technology that makes software capable of understanding and responding to voice-based or text-based human conversations. It uses machine learning; natural language processing understands user intent and form responses. Bots can continuously learn from conversations, so they’re able to deliver more helpful responses as time goes on. This article provides a thorough overview of conversational AI.
How to Defend Remote and Hybrid Work at Your Contact Center
As return-to-office (RTO) discussions continue to dominate headlines, contact center leaders need to be ready to articulate the strategic value of their remote/hybrid work program. Here are some of the most common benefits of a well-run remote program: 1. Expanded Talent Pool and Retention Gains; 2. Business Continuity and Workforce Flexibility; and 3. Cost Efficiency and Competitive Wage Structuring.
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