Tech Takes Center Stage at AOBA

Though AI got the most love this year, other tech trends were discussed at the Acquire of Be Acquired conference. We also look at the state of BaaS platforms.

Hello, Bank Slaters!

I have finally recovered and caught up after being in Arizona for four days for this year’s Acquire of Be Acquired conference. We have a ton of fresh content to share with you over the next few weeks — you’ll get some teasers in today’s newsletter.

Let’s talk about AOBA.

The conference, which drew more than 1,800 official attendees (and many more around its periphery), has evolved beyond Bank Director’s traditional focus on consolidation, with technology now playing a central role. Artificial intelligence (AI) and bank transformation dominated discussions in general sessions and breakout panels. Additionally, many attendees represented fintechs and other firms eager to support banks on their digital journeys.