TechSolutions4CUs

In this installment of the TechSolutions4CUs podcast, host John San Filippo explores the rapidly shifting landscape of artificial intelligence within the credit union movement. Breaking away from the show’s traditional format of interviewing credit union staff or or their technology partners, San Filippo welcomes Tom Church-Adams, the founder of CreditUnionAI News. Together, they dissect why AI is not just another tech trend, but a fundamental shift in how financial institutions must operate to survive and thrive. Defining a New Resource: Credit Union AI News Church-Adams discusses the genesis of his new platform, explaining that the pace of AI development is so extreme that traditional news cycles can't keep up. With major updates from entities like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic happening weekly—if not daily—credit union leaders need a "filter" to understand what these changes mean specifically for their members and their mission. The platform serves as this dedicated portal, offering everything from short, commute-ready audio snippets to deep-dive technical analysis. AI Across the Entire Organization A central theme of the conversation is that AI is no longer a "siloed" technology for the IT department. Church-Adams argues that every leader, from HR to Marketing to the Board of Directors, now essentially acts as their own Chief Technology Officer. Marketing Revolution: AI allows small teams to create high-quality content and personalized member communications at a speed previously reserved for big-budget banks.Lending Efficiency: By integrating AI into backend automation, lending teams can drastically increase approval rates and processing speeds.The Executive "Thought Partner": One of the most futuristic concepts discussed is using AI as a strategic collaborator. Church-Adams envisions a "Credit Union AI Employee Number One"—a persona that sits in virtual meetings, identifies risks, suggests process improvements, and builds on the human team's experience.The Great Equalizer for Small Credit Unions For smaller institutions, Church-Adams highlights AI as a massive competitive advantage. He points out that a small credit union with limited staff can "gain 10 to 15 new employees" worth of productivity simply by adopting AI tools. Instead of being intimidated by the technical barrier, small teams are encouraged to stand up dedicated "AI teams" of even just a few people to focus on organization-wide implementation and road-mapping. Orchestration and Screenless Banking As the industry matures, the focus shifts toward the "orchestration layer." Larger credit unions are encouraged to look at how different AI tools communicate with existing cores and payment processors. Church-Adams also offers a provocative look into the future of agentic AI. He predicts that within the next 15 months, we may see a shift toward screenless banking, where members interact with their accounts through voice-driven AI partners in their earpieces, asking for balances or making payments without ever touching a phone or web browser. A Prediction Rooted in Mission The episode concludes with a look at the cultural impact of AI. While big banks may use automation primarily to cut costs and serve shareholders, credit unions are uniquely positioned to use AI to further their mission of "people helping people." Church-Adams believes that if credit union leaders embrace this technology wholeheartedly, they will gain a much larger seat at the financial table, leveraging AI to empower their members in a future economy centered on "compute."