SAP shows the world how digital transformation is done
While many traditional tech giants have been struggling to come to terms with the connected economy, SAP’s latest earnings indicate it is adapting well to the world of cloud computing.
Artificial Intelligence/AI
Citi analyses VC investments in fintech for fresh insights
Citi’s global perspectives and solutions team has issued a 100-page report on digital disruption in the fintech industry. It has analysed venture capital (VC) investments in the fintech industry between 2010 and 2016, as well as the emerging technologies across the globe.
Google’s AI software beats humans at writing AI software
Economists worry that artificial intelligence (AI) could make many workers obsolete. Now, AI researchers could be putting their own jobs at risk. Researchers at Google and elsewhere are writing AI software that’s better than humans at writing AI software, reports Light Reading (Banking Technology‘s sister publication). Researchers at the Google Brain artificial intelligence research group […]
The Monday mindset: 23 January 2017
Fintech zeitgeist! Welcome to the second in a new series of brief reports. Every Monday, we might look back at last week; look ahead to this week; share a few thoughts (our own or others); or discuss anything that catches our eye. Anything goes, so here goes. Last week I was in Hong Kong, but […]
IBM: AI needs more than just technology
Artificial intelligence (AI) on its own isn’t enough to compete – companies need industry-specific solutions to business problems. So said Martin Schroeter, IBM’s senior vice-president and chief financial officer, on the company’s quarterly earnings call.
Singapore’s POSB launches banking chatbot
POSB, one of Singapore’s oldest banks and part of the DBS Banking Group, has launched an online virtual assistant. It is powered by the KAI conversational bot/AI platform from a New York-based fintech start-up, Kasisto.
Fintech tour Hong Kong: Ayannah triumphs in start-up final
Philippines-based Ayannah, a provider of financial services to migrants and the unbanked, was the overall start-up winner in the Next Money Fintech Finals 2017 in Hong Kong.
HSBC to capitalise on tech innovation with technology advisory board
HSBC has appointed a technology advisory board of top-level specialists from around the globe as the banking giant is keen to capitalise on opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI), biometrics, blockchain and data science, combat cybercrime and leverage its global infrastructure.
Fintech funding round-up: 17 January 2017
They said it. We read it. We edited. A round-up of the latest funding efforts in the fintech and payments space. Featuring Kasisto, BillGO, Gumption Labs and Fraugster.
Five Degrees and SEI provide tech to new digital investment service, Munnypot
Munnypot, a new robo-advice and investment service in the UK, has fully launched with tech support from a number of partners.
Europe a pushover for machine takeover
In another example of glacial bureaucracy, a committee from the European Parliament has written a report which recommends a meeting about robots and artificial intelligence (AI).
Silicon Valley reckons it can give AI a conscience
LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman is one of a host of investors bank-rolling a new initiative to develop ethics and governance standards for artificial intelligence (AI), reports Telecoms.com. The $27 million Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence Fund, which also features Omidyar Network as a founder, will be built around not only engineers and corporations, but […]
Top fintech stories this week – 13 January 2017
Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place!
“Humanoid” Ira to assist customers in HDFC Bank branches
India-based HDFC Bank is about to introduce its first “humanoid” branch assistant – Ira. The human-sized robot was built together with artificial intelligence (AI) company Asimov Robotics.
Putting trust in chatbots
Artificial intelligence (AI) interfaces and chatbots could be revolutionary for financial institutions – but only if they strike the right balance between human and machine interaction.
ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank embrace social media
ICICI Bank goes for Twitter, while HDFC Bank banks on Facebook Messenger.
Varo Money to launch bot and money coach, Val
Mobile banking app Varo Money is brining to market a chatbot and “money coach”, Val. Val is powered by Kasisto’s KAI Banking bot and “delivers insights into spending, savings, borrowing and helps people set goals as well as offer updates and encouragement about their progress”.
Wealthy stay healthy with Charles Schwab’s new hybrid advisor
US-based Charles Schwab has launched its Schwab Intelligent Advisory, a hybrid advisory service that combines people and a robo-advisor. Schwab Intelligent Advisory will provide investors with a financial plan, guidance from “certified financial planner professionals”, and a fully automated portfolio using algorithm driven technology. The service is expected to launch in the first half of […]
Mobey Day Toronto: Machines of loving grace
Don’t rage against the machine, just embrace its potential and look at the real world applications. The world of machine learning (ML) came under the spotlight on day two of Mobey Day in the great city of Toronto. At yesterday’s (8 December) sessions at the Four Seasons Hotel, about 300 delegates enjoyed panels and presentations […]
Fintech funding round-up: 8 December 2016
Fintech funding stories can be fun if they are brief. Featuring MoneyLion, SETL and Finicity.
Fintech funding round-up: 24 November 2016
Let’s put the fun in funding by keeping it mercifully brief. Money seekers are PayKey, Euklid and Flender.
Wells Fargo turns to SigFig for robo-advisory tech
SigFig, a San Francisco-based fintech start-up, is partnering with Wells Fargo to provide the bank’s clients with its robo-advisory tech and wealth management tools. A pilot version will be rolled out in H1 2017.
Lakshmi, India’s first banking robot, unveiled by City Union Bank
City Union Bank (CUB) has become the first bank in India to introduce a robot to deal with customer queries. Called Lakshmi, the robot is based on the IBM Watson artificial intelligence (AI) engine.
Artificial intelligence is fact, not fantasy!
Parth Desai, CEO and founder of Pelican, discusses why artificial intelligence (AI) is already fact not a fantasy, but cautions that we need to be realistic about what can really be achieved on the journey to true AI adoption in transaction banking and payments.
Banking Technology November 2016 issue out now
The latest edition of our flagship magazine – Banking Technology – is out now, packed with news, analysis and insights, case studies, research and expert commentary.
Asia’s first Shariah-compliant robo-advisor to launch
Algebra, Asia’s “first Shariah-compliant robo-advisor”, will be launched this December by Malaysia-based Farringdon Group Private Wealth Managers. It will be open to investors from across the globe, with a minimum investment of $200 per month. Funds will follow basic Islamic principles. For example, no stocks may derive income from gambling, alcohol, tobacco, pork products, adult […]
Bank of America to launch AI chatbot
Bank of America has unveiled its new artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to help customers make decisions on their finances. Called Erica, a nod to the name America, it will be available inside the bank’s mobile app in 2017. Customers can do the usual AI stuff – chat via text or voice – and it’s all […]
Fintech funding round-up: 19 October 2016
Want to save some time but be in the know of the latest funding initiatives in the fintech space? Then read on.
Alicia key to Tieto’s AI leadership team
Tieto says it is the first Nordic company to appoint artificial intelligence (AI) to the leadership team of a new data-driven businesses unit. The AI, called Alicia T, will help the management team to become “truly data-driven”; assist with unspecified “innovative ways”; and possess the capacity to cast votes. Ari Järvelä, head of data-driven businesses […]
Fintech funding round-up: 13 October 2016
Fintech funding without the tub-thumping. A realistic and brief round-up of key events. ComplyAdvantage, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to help firms manage compliance, has revealed an $8.2 million Series A funding round led by Balderton Capital. The funding will allow the regtech firm to do the usual stuff – growth and […]
SEB deploys IPsoft’s virtual agent, Amelia, for customer facing ops
SEB will be the first bank to use IPsoft’s cognitive technology for customer-facing operations in the Swedish language. The artificial intelligence (AI) solution, known as Amelia, will be integrated into the front-office set-up at SEB by the end of this year.
Can banking “catch” the Pokémon bug?
Pokémon Go has taken the globe by storm, capturing the hearts and minds of adults and children alike in their endeavours to “catch ‘em all” in the latest version of the popular computer game, which builds cutting edge augmented reality (AR) technology into its original gameplay. What can banks learn from it?
Sibos 2016 & innovation: crossing the next frontier
There has been a huge amount of hype at this year’s Sibos about financial technology and its role in financial services. Devie Mohan* looks at the technologies that will help financial institutions cross the next frontier of innovation. The world of financial technology has seen a clear and significant shift in the past year – […]
Artificial intelligence: mind games
Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t new but the rise of mobile and cloud computing, combined with big data and cheap computing power, is driving a resurgence. Convergent technologies mean AI is finding new uses in financial services.
The future of money: humans need to keep the robots in check
Udayan Goyal’s vision for the future of money revolves around seamless, instant micropayments being made continuously between autonomous apps and services all triggered by thoughts and actions of humans as they go about their daily lives.
Artificial intelligence set to transform regulatory compliance
Most people have heard of the headline-making achievements in artificial intelligence (AI); systems winning quiz shows and beating world champions in chess. These are the poster children of the discipline but there is a quieter revolution taking in shape in other areas, including regulatory compliance in financial services. Writing for Banking Technology, Mike MacDonagh, London-based […]
Top fintech stories this week – 16 September 2016
Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place!
UBS goes for AI face off
UBS is testing out artificial intelligence (AI) to see if it can assist clients in how best to invest their money – just by looking at their facial expressions. UBS chief investment officer Mark Haefele says the Swiss bank is running several pilot programmes – with one tool able to interpret clients’ facial expressions while […]
Facebook Messenger v1.2 enables native payments in chatbots
Facebook has announced its Messenger bots can now accept payments natively, without redirecting users to external sites. The announcement was made by David Marcus, head of Facebook Messenger, at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco, as he unveiled the launch of the Messenger platform v1.2.
UnifyID launches “holistic implicit authentication” platform, the first of its kind
UnifyID, a California-based fintech start-up, has brought to market its flagship identity and authentication platform. The proposition is “holistic implicit authentication”, i.e. it leverages the individual’s uniqueness to identify and authenticate the person by combining a number of biometric authentication features, analysing the patterns and utilising the machine learning technology.
