Tech Casteros

Hoy tuvimos el placer de platicar con la Dra. Elda Morales especialista en IA aplicada y profesora del TEC de Monterrey CEM y CSF.

1. Introducción
2. IA como estrategia de negocio
Las empresas deben dejar de ver la IA como “herramienta de moda” y empezar a verla como parte del modelo operativo.
3. IA y finanzas
“¿Cómo debe evaluar un CFO o dueño de empresa si una inversión en IA vale la pena?”
“¿Qué métricas deberíamos medir: ahorro, margen, velocidad, riesgo, satisfacción del cliente?”
“¿Qué errores cometen las empresas cuando invierten en IA sin una estrategia financiera?”
4. Riesgos, ética y gobernanza — 8 min
La IA no solo es eficiencia; también trae riesgos: datos sensibles, sesgos, decisiones automatizadas, seguridad, cumplimiento y falta de trazabilidad. El tema de gobernanza está ganando peso porque las empresas necesitan demostrar cómo controlan el uso de IA, no solo decir que tienen políticas.
5. El futuro del trabajo y liderazgo
Qué perfiles serán más valiosos: líderes que entienden datos, finanzas, estrategia y tecnología.

La IA ya no es solo una herramienta tecnológica; ahora es una decisión estratégica y financiera. En 2026, la conversación empresarial se está moviendo de “probar IA” a “operacionalizar IA con ROI, gobernanza y casos de uso concretos”.

In this episode, Guillermo Lagarda Cuevas, researcher at Boston University and entrepreneur shares insights on FinTech innovation, cross-border payments, the impact of AI and crypto, and the future of financial technology in Latin America and beyond.

Key Topics:

FinTech landscape in Latin America

Impact of AI and crypto on finance

Regulatory environment and innovation

How Latin America's FinTech is Evolving in 2024

The Future of Cross-Border Payments with Stablecoins

Main ideas explored as well:

"Stable coins are risk-free to some extent."

"AI can help define personalized credit scores."

"Imagine owning your own AI avatar."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Background

00:51 Guillermo's Journey in FinTech and Regulatory Experience

02:04 Building a Binationals Payment Ecosystem in Mexico and US

03:53 Latin American FinTech Market Trends and Future Outlook

05:38 Types of FinTechs: Banks, Payment Networks, Orchestrators

08:24 FinTech Success Factors in Brazil and Colombia

09:57 Regulatory Frictions and Opportunities in Mexico

11:13 Market Segments in Latin America: Underbanked and Small Businesses

15:09 Crypto and Stablecoins: Speed and Adoption in Payments

18:26 Cross-Border Payments and Stablecoins Explained

21:03 Crypto Assets and Regulatory Landscape in the US

22:08 Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and Regulation

24:35 The Evolution of Crypto Assets and Market Fundamentals

27:03 The Role of AI in FinTech and Financial Services

34:21 Future AI Innovations and Personalization in Finance

35:46 Guillermo's Vision for the Next 3-5 Years

37:13 Advice for Aspiring FinTech Entrepreneurs

38:42 Current Research and Closing Remarks

Resources:

• https://ccjacademy.org/guillermo-lagarda/
• https://www.nber.org/people/guillermo__lagarda
• https://ideas.repec.org/f/pla788.html
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/guillermo-lagarda-1b18621b/

Www.alioit.com

This episode features Ash Black, Director of AI and XR at the University of Arizona's College of Information Sciences, discussing his multifaceted work in artificial intelligence, extended reality, and the ambitious Biosphere 3 project. The conversation explores how AI is reshaping education, workforce development, and scientific discovery while maintaining environmental responsibility.🎯 Key Topics DiscussedAI in Education & Student AdoptionAsh emphasizes that while AI is ubiquitous on campuses, universities are still developing long-term educational strategies. The critical distinction lies in student mindset: those viewing AI as a shortcut (doing homework for them) risk becoming passive consumers, while those seeing it as a tool for exploration and creation unlock exponential capabilities. Students are experiencing anxiety due to negative media coverage about job displacement, yet AI can serve as an exceptional tutor when used intentionally with course materials and syllabi.Sovereign AI & PrivacyA significant emerging opportunity is sovereign AI—personal AI assistants running locally on devices rather than relying on centralized cloud servers. Apple's unified memory architecture enables relatively large AI models to run completely offline, offering hope for privacy-conscious users who want their data to remain personal rather than being harvested by tech giants.Biosphere 3: The Digital Twin InitiativeBiosphere 3 represents an extension of the original Biosphere 2 research facility (built 1989-1991). Rather than a physical structure, Biosphere 3 is a high-fidelity digital twin combining:Virtual reality scanning of architecture, machinery, plants, water, and growing systemsAI agents with real-time sensor integrationAn "ecology of intelligences" architecture with specialized AI minds for different biomes (rainforest, ocean)Autonomous scientific discovery capabilities to accelerate hypothesis testingThe goal is to create a system that can "talk to" natural ecosystems—essentially making the wisdom of Earth's biosphere accessible through AI conversation, similar to how ChatGPT provides access to humanity's collective knowledge.🧠 Philosophical PerspectivesAsh frames AI as a "SAT test of the human soul"—a wake-up call revealing whether humanity is ready for the next evolutionary stage. Rather than viewing AI as doom or salvation, he sees it as a mirror reflecting human character and values. He also connects this moment to spiritual and indigenous traditions worldwide, which have long spoken of evolutionary transitions and revelations.The conversation touches on human evolution, suggesting that tool-use and language development may have been catalyzed by early humans' encounters with psychoactive substances, leading to social bonding and collective intelligence formation.

Hello TechCastero family!

Today we had as a guest the Chief Wrecker..Joey Princz CEO of WreckingBall (getwrecked.com), a company that evolved from a design agency working with CMOs at global brands to a full-service digital design and innovation company that handles strategy, design, engineering, data analytics, and content creation.

We talked about the amazing stuff they are doing with AI and Design/Branding/Marketing and where we see AI is taking us in this space and also in Engineering.

https://www.instagram.com/wreckingballmedia

https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrecking-ball-agency

https://www.behance.net/getwrecked

https://vimeo.com/getwrecked

Some of the stuff we talked about:

- Creative teams can now generate production-ready content in hours rather than weeks

- Wrecking Ball is currently pursuing three different AI tracks including agentic and super agents for client workflows, AI for data analysis with natural language search capabilities, and GenAI tools for content creation.

- AI has dramatically reduced production costs and timelines

- Tips and tools for organizations wanting to adopt AI for brand marketing.

Check out the episode and let us know what you think!!

Host: Alfonso Bonillas

www.alioit.com

AI Innovation in Dubai Hub

Alfonso and Lorgio discussed their mutual interest in AI and innovation, recalling their meeting at an AI conference in Dubai. Lorgio introduced his company, BrainCoders, highlighting its focus on AI and its unique advantage of high-quality engineering talent from Latin America, with headquarters in Dubai. They shared their experiences and reasons for choosing Dubai as a hub for innovation and business growth, emphasizing its potential for future developments in AI.

AI Workflow Automation for Startups

Lorgio discussed his company's focus on developing AI-powered workflow automation systems to help startups in the UAE grow efficiently. He explained that his company, which he founded after working as a CTO in various startups, specializes in custom software development and integrations, with a particular emphasis on implementing agent ecosystems for business process optimization. Alfonso noted the significant AI investment in the UAE, mentioning Microsoft's commitment of $15.2 billion by 2029 for cloud infrastructure and AI models, which makes the region an attractive market for technology solutions.

Entrepreneurial Vision and Leadership

Lorgio discussed his decision to start his own company based on his unique values and passion for leadership, emphasizing the opportunity to create a company aligned with his vision and strategy. Alfonso acknowledged his own desire to do things better and agreed that entrepreneurs often pursue their dreams and visions. Alfonso also mentioned his experience as a first-time speaker at a function.

AI's Role in Software Development

Alfonso and Lorgio discussed the future of software development in the context of AI advancements. Lorgio predicted that the next five years would focus on agent workflows and building AI systems to perform tasks autonomously, rather than static applications. They agreed that AI is a valuable tool that complements human developers, rather than replacing them. Lorgio identified a potential challenge in integrating AI with blockchain technology, as both fields are rapidly evolving.

Blockchain and AI Partnership Strategies

Alfonso and Lorgio discussed the intersection of blockchain and AI, noting that while blockchain has been developing for 2-3 years, AI has recently gained more attention and presents opportunities to help blockchain scale. Lorgio emphasized the importance of not pursuing AI alone and recommended companies to work with deep learning engineers and strategically implement AI. They highlighted their partnership between BrainCoders and Alio, which combines Alio's enterprise engineering experience with BrainCoders' AI capabilities to help companies modernize and safely adopt AI.

Brain Quoters' Global Expansion Plans

Alfonso and Lorgio discussed Brain Quoters' future, with Lorgio envisioning the company as a technology intervention hub enabling various solutions worldwide. They also talked about upcoming events, including Web Summit in Rio and CES in Las Vegas, with Lorgio confirming their participation in both. Alfonso expressed interest in speaking at more conferences, mentioning he had applied to be a speaker at the STEP conference in Dubai.

Met with Siri de Ruiter today!! A Data Analyst and AI expert providing services to Non Profit Organizations to help them uncover and better use AI as a tool.

Feel free to reach out for AI / Data Analytics queries with Siri here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siri-de-ruiter/https://www.linkedin.com/in/siri-de-ruiter/

Also reach out to us for help in your technical projects!

Alioit.com

Thank you,

Hello! Thank you for tuning in to another insightful podcast episode where this time we spoke about FinOps (Finance and Operations) with Ernesto Ruy Sanchez who has co-authored a book on this topic (you can find ⁠here⁠)

We spoke about how you can apply FinOps strategies by considering the different pricing structures, cost components, tagging and other criteria to help optimize your cloud servicing costs. We also discussed the impact of AI on FinOps. Please listen and let us know in the comments what you though about the contents discussed:

1. Understanding Cost Structures

2. Key Cost Optimization Strategies

3. Resource Management and Monitoring

4. AI and FinOps

Please click here and download an AWS FinOps Checklist for you!

Please reach out if you are interested in FinOps and are looking for help developing a strategy and executing best FinOps practices! ⁠Www.alioit.com⁠

Hello! Welcome again ! Today we had a conversation with Aaron Arvizu a cybersecurity consulting professional and member of the Consejo de Seguridad de la Información y Ciberseguridad, A.C. which is the Information Security and Cybersecurity Council in Mexico. He also has his own podcast/youtube channel where you can watch him discuss the most recent Cybersecurity related topics: https://www.youtube.com/@laleydemurphee

I. Brief Overview of the Importance of Cybersecurity

II. Understanding Cyber Threats

III. The Human Element: Cybersecurity Awareness

IV. The Role of Technology in Cybersecurity

V. Cybersecurity in Practice: Best Practices and Strategies

VI. Cybersecurity Challenges and Future Trends

We hope you enjoy this episode.

www.alioit.com

Thank you!

Introduction:

Our guest today is Rudy Brathwaite Senior Product Owner at a top notch Health Sciences University and Entrepreneur in the Logistics industry, he will share very valuable insight on the journey of becoming a succesful entrepreneur.

Segment 1: The Spark of Inspiration

Discuss the initial spark that ignites the entrepreneurial journey.
Share stories of how entrepreneurs discover their passion or identify market gaps.
Highlight the importance of creativity and problem-solving in entrepreneurship.

Segment 2: From Idea to Action

Explore the process of moving from idea generation to action.
Discuss the significance of market research, feasibility studies, and validation.
Share strategies for overcoming doubts and fears in the early stages.

Segment 3: Navigating Challenges

Address common challenges faced by entrepreneurs, such as funding, competition, and failure.
Share stories of resilience and perseverance in the face of setbacks.
Provide tips for managing stress and staying motivated during difficult times.

Segment 4: Building a Support Network

Discuss the importance of building a strong support network of mentors, advisors, and peers.
Share advice for networking effectively and seeking guidance.
Highlight the benefits of collaboration and partnerships in entrepreneurship.
Segment 5: Scaling and Growth

Explore strategies for scaling a business and achieving sustainable growth.
Discuss the role of innovation, adaptability, and strategic planning.
Share success stories of entrepreneurs who have scaled their ventures successfully.

Conclusion:

Summarize key takeaways from the episode.
Encourage listeners to embrace the entrepreneurial journey with courage and determination.

www.alioit.com

Hola, Bienvenidos!

Este podcast que hicimos fue enfocado a los temas relacionados con Fintech y su evolucion en Mexico y LatAm. Conectense para saber mas sobre:

Ley FinTech

Modelos innovadores de servicios financieros

Estadisticas de Mexico de Adopcion

Inteligencia Artificial para Fintech

Blockchain y Fintech

Disclaimer.. opiniones son personales basadas en la experiencia colectiva de los participantes.

Gracias!

www.alioit.com