Foreword

from Greg Palmer

We’re only halfway through 2019, and it’s already been a big year for fintech. The last few years have given us exciting fintech developments with a lot of potential, and it looks like this is going to be the year where those promising new technologies make the transition to real-world solutions.

No area of fintech exemplifies this trend more than AI and machine-learning. At our recently concluded FinovateSpring event in San Francisco, 25 of the 60 demoing companies were using AI/ML in some way. That’s notable in and of itself, but what’s more interesting to see is the variety of areas where that technology is being applied. We saw AI applications being applied to areas like alternative credit scoring, customer-care, marketing/sales, financial advising, financial inclusion, stock-trading, and call-center among others.The diversity of the solutions that are using AI shows how ubiquitous the technology can be. In 2017 or 2018, you might have been able to get attention simply by standing on the Finovate stage and telling the audience that you were using AI. Now the conversation has shifted, and what’s ultimately important is how you’re using AI. This is a vital step in the adoption of this technology into the broader fintech ecosystem, and it’s something that I’m sure we’re going to see plenty of in the future.

"In 2017 or 2018, you might have been able to get attention simply by standing on the Finovate stage and telling the audience that you were using AI. Now the conversation has shifted, and what’s ultimately important is how you’re using AI."

Of course, fintech is about much more than AI, and this issue of the Finovate eMagazine takes more of a deep dive into digital banking and payments, and the technology shaping this particular section of the industry. Read on for a recap of FinovateSpring, insights from some of our exciting speakers, an overview of the 8 companies that the audience selected as Best of Show, and more.Our goal at Finovate is to take large trends (like AI) and present them in a broader context. Fintech will always be bigger than the latest trend or technological capability, and the experts and innovators who come through our orbit are well-positioned to provide the bigger picture. Happy reading, and as always, keep innovating!Best,
Greg