One Vision Podcast — Fintech, Banking, and AI with Theodora Lau

In the ever-evolving world of digital banking, understanding the shifts and trends is crucial for industry practitioners and innovators. In this episode of One Vision, Theodora Lau hosts Dharmesh Mistry and Dave Wallace to explore the transformative moments in banking and fintech over the past decade, the impact of technology on the financial services industry, and the future of work. They discuss the rise of 5G, smartphones, digital banking, and the need for industry revaluation to adapt to rapid technological convergence.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

02:20 The Game Changers and Misreads

11:57 The Role of Fintechs and Neobanks

21:24 The Future of Banking: A New Paradigm

32:16 Rethinking Banking for the Future

34:09 AI Native Banking

37:03 Jobs and the Human Contribution 

📍Hot take: “ We've had a new layer of financial services by the fintechs …  and we totally overestimated the impact of these new players to the existing players.”

📍Hot take:  To create a better industry industry. It doesn't have to be FinTech completed. It's. Destroying banks. It doesn't have to be banks, completely destroying newcomers. There are so much, there's so much room for us to all play together to create a better ecosystem for all of us. 

Keywords: AI, FinTech, Digital Banking, Financial Services, Disruption, Future of Work, 5G, Banking Innovation

More about our guests 

🌐Dave Wallace on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davejvwallace/ 

🌐Dharmesh Mistry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dharmesh-mistry-b81207/ 

🌐Demystify Podcast on Fintech Futures: https://www.fintechfutures.com/keyword/demystify-podcast 

More about our host and One Vision Podcast 

🌐Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🌐Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence (book): https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🌐Unconventional Ventures (company): https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

🌐Listen to all One Vision Podcast episodes by visiting: https://shows.acast.com/one-vision 

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brandon Purcell, a former vice president and principal analyst at Forrester, recently embarked on a remarkable journey to write a book that intertwines his experiences with addiction and recovery with the concepts of artificial intelligence. 

In this new episode of One Vision Podcast, hosted by Theodora Lau, we dive deep into Brandon’s unique perspectives on how these two seemingly disparate topics are closely related. It is raw, vulnerable, and a reflection on how we can find our way back to authentic connection and recovery.  

00:00 Welcome and Intro

01:55 From Forrester to Responsible AI

04:04 The Book Idea Takes Shape

06:58 AI Metaphors for Addiction

16:05 Advice to Younger Self

20:39 Looking Forward

Hot take: Be pulled by love, not fear. 

Hot take: Pause more and be intentional in what we do.

Keywords: AI, Humanity, Mental Health, Personal Growth, Purpose 

More about our guest 

🌐Brandon Purcell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncpurcell/ 

More about our host and One Vision Podcast 

🌐Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🌐Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence (book): https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🌐Unconventional Ventures (company): https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

🌐Listen to all One Vision Podcast episodes by visiting: https://shows.acast.com/one-vision 

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a record number of companies vying for US bank charters, it’s crucial to understand the driving forces behind this surge. The regulatory environment is more welcoming than ever, allowing fintechs to innovate and meet the needs of consumers who feel underserved by traditional banks.  

But it's not just about quantity; it’s about quality. In a saturated market, how can these new entrants provide real value that stands out? It's all about solving real problems and creating unique offerings that resonate with consumers. Keep an eye on companies that understand the nuances of the market and can adapt their strategies. 

What’s your take? Tune in and hear the take from Tiffani Montez and David Penn, in the latest episode of One Vision Podcast, hosted by Theodora Lau.

00:00 Underserved Banking Opportunity

14:44 Life Stage Subscriptions

15:54 Niche Neobanks Strategy

16:28 Who Will Win

18:21 Incumbents Reaction

20:09 Pressure To Modernize

21:25 Rethinking Bank Models

22:33 Trust And Charters

24:36 Next 12 Months Outlook

Hot take: “We don’t need more banks. We need better banks.” Tiffani Montez

Hot take: “The sky is getting darker.” David Penn

Keywords: Fintech, Financial Inclusion, Neobank, Open Banking 

#Fintech #neobank #AI #Financialinclusion 

More about our guests 

🌐Tiffani Montez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffani-montez-b794283/ 

🌐David Penn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-penn-25431313/ 

More about our host and One Vision Podcast 

🌐Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🌐Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence (book): https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🌐Unconventional Ventures (company): https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

🌐Listen to all One Vision Podcast episodes by visiting: https://shows.acast.com/one-vision 

**

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Theodora Lau interviews Jennifer White, Senior Director, Global Banking & Payments Intelligence at J.D. Power, about consumer behavior, financial resilience, AI in finance, and future trends. They explore how consumers are navigating financial challenges and the affordability crisis, against the backdrop of “an era of resilience” — with two-thirds of Americans being financially unhealthy. They also discuss AI's role in financial literacy, MrBeast’s move into fintech, why Chime is leading new account acquisition, and implications for existing players.

Looking to understand the current and future landscape of consumer finance? Hint: Fundamentals in customer experience are more important than ever. 

00:00 Welcome Back Jennifer

01:24 Consumer Resilience Snapshot

06:26 Holiday Reality Check

16:21 MrBeast Meets Fintech

23:46 Chime and New Account Churn

28:41 Consumer Trust and AI Tools

41:31 Back to Service Fundamentals

Hot take: "Basics of customer experience still matter."

Keywords: AI, fintech, Buy Now Pay Later, Trust, MrBeast, Chime, Financial Resilience, Financial Literacy, Fraud, Affordability 

More about our guest 

🌐Jennifer White on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-white-57257424/  

More about our host and One Vision Podcast 

🌐Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🌐Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence (book): https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🌐Unconventional Ventures (company): https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

🌐Listen to all One Vision Podcast episodes by visiting: https://shows.acast.com/one-vision

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this new episode One Vision podcast, Theodora Lau welcomes back Christopher Mims, Technology Columnist for the Wall Street Journal, to discuss his 2026 book “How to AI,” a practical guide aimed at the 90% who aren’t early adopters. They discuss the book’s “24 Laws of AI”, the evolving role of AI in the workplace, and how to prepare for the new future (without the hype). 

Who will win the AI race? And what might Christopher be writing about next year? Stay till the end of the conversation for the hint … and it is not what you’d expect! 

You can order a copy of Mims’ new book, “How to AI”, on bookshop.org and Amazon. And you can find my recent review of the book here on LinkedIn. 

#AI #FutureOfWork #Agents #Automation 

00:00 Welcome 

01:46 Why This AI Book

04:13 Durable AI Principles

06:22 Competition between Firms

08:58 Agents as Assembly Robots

14:43 Trust and Delegation Lines

16:37 Kaizen and How the Principle Applies

24:05 Key Takeaways

Hot take: “ We're in this early DIY phase of AI.”

Hot take: “It's just as important to figure out what AI can't do for you as it is to figure out what it can do … The opportunity cost for pursuing AI for the wrong types of tasks is bigger than ever.” 

Keywords 

AI, generative AI, future of work, automation, trust

More about our guest 

Christopher Mims is a tech columnist for the Wall Street Journal, where he covers AI, technology, and their implications on society. His latest book, "How to AI," breaks down complex concepts into actionable insights, making AI accessible to everyone. Mims has interviewed experts across various fields, providing a comprehensive view of how AI is being integrated into different sectors.

🌐Christopher Mims on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-mims-club/ 

🌐How to AI (book): https://a.co/d/079cJso1 

More about our host and One Vision Podcast 

🌐Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🌐Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence (book): https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🌐Unconventional Ventures (company): https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

🌐Listen to all One Vision Podcast episodes by visiting: https://shows.acast.com/one-vision 

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are we moving too fast in the world of agentic commerce — a new paradigm in online shopping where AI agents act on behalf of consumers, facilitating transactions and product discovery? Unlike traditional e-commerce, where consumers interact directly with platforms, agentic commerce leverages advanced technologies to streamline the purchasing process.

In this episode of One Vision — FinTech Fuse, we dive deep into the rapidly shifting landscape of agentic commerce and the alphabet soup. With the technology landscape changing at an unprecedented pace, we explore the challenges and opportunities that arise in the new world.

Joining us in the discussion are industry experts, Dr. Efi Pylarinou and Jas Shah, who offer their insights on the rise of different protocols like ACP and UCP, identity verification, and the importance of a level-playing field in the future of commerce.

What’s your take on this fast-paced evolution? Let’s keep the conversation going!

#FinTech #AI #AgenticCommerce #AIAgents

00:00 Welcome and Setup: The Agentic Commerce Alphabet Soup

02:53 The Reality: Are We Moving Too Fast?

07:35 Who Writes The Rules? 

10:03 Which Protocol Will Win?

16:20 Staying Visible: Banks Brand in Bot Era

21:04 Trust Data and Curation

25:44 The Economics and Gatekeepers

33:57 Predictions: Who Will Emerge as The Likely Winner

41:56 What Banks Should Do Next

Hot take: The real battle is about protocols, not models.

Hot take: The future belongs to those who can optimize for AI.

Keywords 

AI, agentic AI, commerce protocols, fintech, banking, digital transformation, identity, trust, UCP, ACP

More about our guests 

🌐Dr. Efi Pylarinou on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/efipylarinou/ 

🌐Jas Shah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jas-shah/ 

More about our host and One Vision Podcast 

🌐Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🌐Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence (book): https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🌐Unconventional Ventures (company): https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

🌐Listen to all One Vision Podcast episodes by visiting: https://shows.acast.com/one-vision 

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of One Vision, Theodora Lau hosts Angi Milano, Founder and CEO of Maven Advisory, about her diverse career journey in financial services. They discuss the challenges and rewards of embracing independence, the importance of saying 'no', as well as the complexities and the art of selling in regulated industries. Angi shares insights on current trends in fintech, emphasizing the need for relationship building and community engagement as the industry evolves.

Hot take: “… power of no and knowing when your limits really are hit and you have to turn somebody down is a powerful lesson that I wish I had learned.”

Hot take: “In sales, if you are not thinking ahead, you’re falling behind.” 

More about our guest 

🌐Angi Milano on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angimilano/ 

More about our host and One Vision Podcast 

🌐Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🌐Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence (book): https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🌐Unconventional Ventures (company): https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

🌐Listen to all One Vision Podcast episodes by visiting: https://shows.acast.com/one-vision 

#Fintech #BankingIndustry #Community #Empathy

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of One Vision — FinTech Fuse podcast, Theodora Lau and Jas Randhawa discuss the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) and implications for agentic commerce. They explore the challenges of chargebacks, the need for regulatory clarity, and the importance of consumer independence in the evolving landscape of e-commerce. While adoption is likely to grow, major risks include consumer manipulation, monopolistic outcomes, and the amount of personal data agents may require (buying, browsing, health, and other patterns), increasing privacy and security concerns. Now is the time to engage with policymakers and advocate for regulatory clarity and for the well-being of consumers. 

00:00 Welcome Back to One Vision + Introducing Jas Randhawa (StrategyBRIX)

01:10 What Is the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)? The Big Picture

03:27 How UCP Works: Product Cataloging for AI Shopping Agents

07:05 KYA (Know Your Agent): Identity, Authorization & Trust

08:58 Chargebacks in Agentic Commerce: Who’s Liable When Things Go Wrong?

12:02 Fraud Detection Breaks: Geolocation, New Signals & Re-Engineering Controls

13:44 Agent Independence & Consumer Protection: Bias, Collusion, and Oversight Gaps

21:28 Regulatory Clarity (or Lack Thereof): The ‘Wild West’ Phase + T&Cs Reality

28:06 Time to Get Ready: Travel Use Cases, Audit Trails, and Dispute Proof

33:26 Sanctions, VPNs, and High-Velocity Agent Behavior: Financial Crime Risks

37:12 Are We Too Early? Will Consumers Adopt—and at What Cost?

42:59 Privacy, Data Control & The Need for Neutral Standards Bodies (Wrap-Up)

47:45 Final Thoughts

#AI #AgenticCommerce #UCP #Agents #Fintech 

Hot take:  ”The amount of information this agent now needs to have about me is shocking and it scares me a little bit because you're talking about buying patterns, browsing patterns, sleeping patterns, health pattern. For this agent to be really effective, it just needs to know everything that's in my head, right? It's gonna be very effective, but that's again, a major risk because no one's watching out for the consumer.”

Hot take: “ The future of this world is unfortunately not you or me. It's a lot of these younger kids, their ecosystem is a lot different. These products are being designed for them.”

More about our guest 

🌐Jas Randhawa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randhawajas/ 

More about our host and One Vision Podcast 

🌐Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🌐Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence (book): https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🌐Unconventional Ventures (company): https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

🌐Listen to all One Vision Podcast episodes by visiting: https://shows.acast.com/one-vision 

**

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s One Vision Podcast, we welcome back Sandeep Mangaraj, now co-founder of Aileron Group, to discuss lessons from building a company in a crowded AI market and why AI success is more about people and process than technology. 

The conversation covers executives rushing into GenAI due to FOMO, the importance of starting with desired outcomes rather than applying GenAI everywhere, and why mid-market institutions may benefit from faster time-to-decision, less technical debt, and faster learning cycles. 

The key question is whether firms can afford the downside of waiting. And the answer is increasingly: No.

00:00 Welcome Back: Meet Sandeep Mangaraj 

00:55 Building Aileron: Lessons From a Crowded AI Market

03:49 The AI ROI Myth: What’s Actually Being Measured?

05:28 FOMO vs Outcomes: Picking the Right AI Use Cases

10:09 Falling Costs & Speed of Learning

12:40 Who Owns AI Outcomes and Who’s Accountable When It Breaks?

14:55 Third-Party Risk: Regulators, Vendors, and Dependencies

19:51 “Can You Afford to Wait?”

23:02 Closing: Act With Purpose in 2026

Hot take:  The barrier to AI success isn't technology, it's people and process. 

#AI #Fintech #GenerativeAI #DigitalTransformation

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dive into the future of wealth with AI in Asia! 🌏🚀 Join Theodora Lau on the latest episode of One Vision podcast as she chats with Yves Roesti, Managing Partner & CEO Synpulse Group, about how AI is transforming the industry across APAC. From cultural nuances to regulatory challenges, they explore the intricate balance of human touch and technology, the unique challenges and opportunities in the region, the vision behind OpenWealth Association, and how AI impacts the future of consulting and wealthtech. 

📍Hot take:“I actually think that junior consultants are uniquely positioned to be supercharged by the AI movement. The question to ask is, what skills do you need to have, in order to thrive in an AI-enabled world?  Being resilient, being creative, asking the right questions, being curious, and having empathy and having interpersonal skills.” 

Episode highlights  

00:00 - Introduction and Welcome

02:21 - AI Trends in APAC vs. US

11:56 - OpenWealth Association

18:00 - Future of Consulting with AI

24:11 - Contrarian Views on AI 

30:58 - Concluding Thoughts

#AI #Fintech #WealthTech #Asia 

More about our guest 

🌐Yves Roesti on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yves-roesti/ 

More about our host and One Vision Podcast 

🌐Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🌐Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence (book): https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🌐Unconventional Ventures (company): https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

🌐Listen to all One Vision Podcast episodes by visiting: https://shows.acast.com/one-vision 

**

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.