GenAI can be funny Alexa, are you blue?" Alexa: Only my light ring... Only my light ring. GenAI can be productive "Translate 'Where is the restroom?' into Spanish. GenAI can be savage Siri, what's zero divided by zero?" Siri: "Imagine that you have zero cookies...
Payments as a market is undergoing massive changes. As customer preferences evolve, so are the technologies they use. Globally, there are a number of key drivers behind the changes we’re seeing today. According to the ‘Top 10 Fintech and Payments Trends 2024’ Report...
In a world where your coffee, groceries, and even your taxi rides can be paid for with a tap of your phone, digital wallets have become the sleek, convenient sidekicks to our daily lives. But as with any great innovation, there's a shadow side: fraudsters are eager to...
In today's world, where every customer interaction is a potential goldmine, banks are scrambling to deliver personalized experiences that set them apart from the competition. But what does personalization really mean in the context of banking? It's about understanding...
Imagine coming back from a tiring day at work, eager to unwind and prepare for the weekend. You open your email, only to find a notification from your bank: your account has been closed without any warning. A wave of panic washes over you. How will you pay your bills?...
“The ultimate travel agent”. That’s the vision that Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has for the vacation and short-term rental platform. One of the many steps to unlocking that vision is the sustained and strategic use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). And their first...
Two letters. But what an impact they have had this year! Little wonder then that Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has been chosen as the ‘Word of the Year 2023’ by the Collins Dictionary. This is not surprising for an AI-led company like Crayon Data. In fact, it was...
In the dynamic landscape of technological innovation, one term is making waves across industries—Machine Learning (ML). As a subset of artificial intelligence (AI), ML is redefining the way we approach problem-solving, and the financial sector is no exception. Here,...
The inception of FinTechs promoting financial inclusion in Africa can be traced back to Kenya in 2007. Safaricom, a Kenyan mobile network operator affiliated with Vodafone, observed customers using prepaid airtime as a form of currency. This observation led to the...
As technology evolves on a day-to-day basis, it combines multiple facets to create ingenious results. We’re seeing Generative AI being incorporated into wearables. IoT is converging with machine learning and AI. As is edge computing. In fact, multiple predictions...
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a game-changer across various industries, and the legal and contracting domain is no exception. Traditionally, the legal sector has been notorious for its heaps of paperwork, time-consuming research, and expensive legal fees. AI...
In the ever-evolving world of fintech, where algorithms help make critical financial decisions, a new player has emerged. Explainable AI (XAI) has evolved beyond the realm of helping creators and users of AI models understand how these models make decisions. In...
From digital wallets to contactless payments, the banking sector is constantly transforming. And the focus has been on creating customer experiences that make a difference to the bank’s bottom line. The most effective way to do this: a marketplace. Many banks...
Customers don’t care only about cost any more. Today, they want to feel connected to the brands and companies they choose to associate with. No matter what they want, they are spoilt for choice. What differentiates good and popular brands from the rest? Customer...
Several tech industry titans have attempted to define the metaverse. Ed Greigg, Chief Disruptor at Deloitte, says, “In simplest terms, the metaverse is the internet, but in 3D.” Others are skeptical about the concept. Tesla founder Elon Musk says he can’t “see...
![Slaves to the Algo: AI podcast by Suresh Shankar [Season 1]](https://crayondata.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/AI-podcast-by-Suresh-Shankar.jpg)
Whether we know it or not, like it or not, our lives have been taken over by algorithms. In this podcast, Suresh attempts to demystify the age of the algorithm. Join him on his podcast, Slaves to the Algo as he talks to leading professionals in their fields to...
![Slaves to the Algo: an AI podcast by Suresh Shankar [Season 2]](https://crayondata.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/version1uuid2953E42B-2037-40B3-B51F-4F2287986AA4modecompatiblenoloc0-1.jpeg)
Whether we know it or not, like it or not, our lives have been taken over by algorithms. In this podcast, founder and CEO of Crayon Data, Suresh Shankar, attempts to demystify the age of the algorithm. Join him on his podcast, Slaves to the Algo as he talks to leading...
Even as the first month of the year draws to an end, some of us are still cleansing our phones of the new year wishes and sale/offer messages. Meanwhile, the BFSI industry is thinking of ways to capitalize on the successes of the past year. Innovation worked wonders,...
The Internet is usually treated like the youngest child of a family. They invariably get blamed every time anything breaks down in the household! As an extension of the Internet, e-commerce too received a great deal of suspicion in its early days. Rightfully...
Daniel Kahneman’s ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ is one of the most popular books that got people thinking about heuristics & biases. When we think about it in the context of fintechs and banks, it has more than a few lessons on how consumers engage on a myriad of...
2020 is a lost year for travel. People around the world spent more than half the year at home. Away from crowded places and closed spaces to minimize the spread of the Coronavirus. A closed-off world When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, the first industry to be...
Whether you’re at the swankiest stores in the poshest of malls or at your neighborhood chaat stall and vegetable vendor, you no longer need a physical wallet. Just your phone will do, as long as there’s a QR code in sight! Those little placards are now ubiquitous, and...
“We're in [an] incredible age where new brands are making people's lives easier, more convenient, more personalized.” Angel investor Aileen Lee – and the person who coined the term ‘unicorn’ – sums up the future of business in one simple sentence. With the evolution...
In today's world, data powers everything we do. Big Data is transforming businesses and lives. It's no longer a futuristic proposition. It's in the here and now! This is a definite superpower in the financial world. Enterprises can put customer data to use, without...
Do you know which merchant has the highest retail sales per square foot? Yes, it’s a pretty antiquated metric, and not one that’s quite relevant in a post-pandemic world! But humor me. When speaking to Crayons, they brought up big box stores like Walmart and Costco....
‘We use cookies to make your experience of our websites better. By using and further navigating this website you accept this. Detailed information about the use of cookies on this website is available by clicking on more information.’ We see this familiar message on...
Tsaheylu, in the language of the Na’vi, means bond. (Sounds unfamiliar? It is the language spoken in the 2009 sci-fi film, Avatar!) With Tsaheylu, Na’vis - the people of the Pandora biosphere - can use their cute tails to connect with the life around them. They...
"Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun." That’s exactly what we’re doing while creating the Slaves to the Algo (STTA)! And this time around, we’re more than just a podcast. Now, we're taking our...
In his upcoming book, Hundred Years of Artificial Intelligence - Past, Present and Near Future, Alok Aggarwal talks about domains in which AI is rivaling humans. These go across sectors, and include skills like Autonomous vehicle driving Predicting schizophrenia...
Have you watched the latest Netflix sensation, Inventing Anna? It follows protagonist Anna Delvey’s quest for power, money, and fame. With a dash of personal and financial deception. And no one is spared: from socialites and hotels to banks and New York’s finest...
Two full years after the pandemic began, the way that banks function has vastly changed. As customers’ wants and needs have shifted, banks too have had to rethink their approach. Digital transformation is no longer a nice-to-have. It is essential to their existence....
The Reserve Bank of India’s recent announcement on the launch of UPI 123Pay reminded me of a conversation I had in New Delhi a few years ago. I was traveling home by auto-rickshaw. And I stopped briefly to pick up groceries. Once my order was packed, I paid via...
Altering its scorching desserts into architectural marvels, the Middle East (ME) is the epitome of transformation. In a short span of 20 years, they went from ground level to building the world’s tallest tower. This innovative streak is not limited to infrastructure....
This is the decade of consumer convenience. The market has evolved from being a place where one can buy goods to being a social space with an increasing number of offerings. Marketplaces are playing an important role in building communities, creating jobs, and...
Most customers tend to splurge only on a few special occasions. Holiday shopping is one such annual splurge they indulge in. Partly due to the practices of e-commerce and departmental store giants, customers have come to expect similar deals from other retailers and...
Standard Bank Group CEO Sim Tshabalala has one goal: “We don’t want to be the shop; we want to be the mall.” One of the big four banks in South Africa, they are heading swiftly towards a marketplace model of banking. Recent developments include Contactless payments...
As the Second World War intensified, women were asked to fill in for the jobs that were usually done by men (who were now on the battlefield). Some of them were physically hard jobs. This rapidly enhanced a trend of trousers and slimmer skirts for women. These outfits...
From zero-party to third-party data and everything in between - find out how data sources can influence privacy issues Homo sapiens aren’t done evolving. They continue to show changes in physiology and behavior. One key difference from our early ancestors is our...
Customer communication can be a hit or miss. Over the past decade, more channels have emerged than ever. This resulted in a number of unprecedented ways to reach the customer at a moment’s notice. Wham, bam, hit every customer with spam Enterprises incessantly market...
Data tables were once called Information Systems. MIS then became Dashboards. Dashboards transformed to Data Visualization. Which is now Data Storytelling. But the real story gets hidden under these constantly evolving terminologies. Each step of change carried its...
The oldest of the Gen Z cohort, today’s golden children, entered the workforce under unprecedented circumstances: amid a pandemic. Before they could begin flexing their purchasing power, major pay-cuts and lay-offs were announced worldwide. Luckily, Gen Z has been...
The other day, I clicked on a link that was about the imminent death of third-party cookies. I was prompted to ‘Accept all cookies’ before I proceed any further! We are supposed to say no to third-party cookies by the end of 2023. While I am waiting for the day, I...
It would have been the late-90s. A self-sufficient old couple next door was enjoying their Sunday afternoon tea when the man collapsed. It looked like a cardiac arrest. Across the street lived a successful orthopedic surgeon. While waiting for the ambulance, we asked...
We can complicate discussions on data till eternity. But at the root of it all, data can help us solve 2 primary clusters of problems. Finding patterns Establishing a causal link Finding patterns is the easy part. Machines, algorithms, and even ‘analysts who do not...
Use the KonMari method for a data ETL strategy that sparks joy for your organization To the uninitiated, Marie Kondo is the world’s most famous tidying up consultant (thanks to Netflix). Her trademarked KonMari method is all about how one can declutter their living...
In the first of a series of blogs, we explored what personalized marketplaces are, and why they are important to banks, merchants and consumers. Then, we took a deep dive into how banks can thrive with a marketplace strategy that is built for each customer. Today, we...
There are certain times in sport where a team loses the plot even before the game really heats up. Crucial errors early in the game overhang and determine the eventual result. The 1998 football World Cup final between France and Brazil comes to mind. Brazil chose to...
In the first of a series of blogs, we explored what personalized marketplaces are, and why they are important to banks, merchants and consumers. Today, we deep dive into how banks can thrive with a marketplace strategy that is built for each customer. In a global...
Today’s customers are digital natives. Irrelevance annoys them. Studies show that 85% expect personalized services, while 67% expect personalized experiences. These are not numbers that can be ignored. Banks that are early adopters to the age of relevance can...
Customers want personalized experiences. Merchants want the right audience. Banks are unable to meet these expectations. However, high volumes of supply and demand cannot guarantee transactions. Banks are unable to meet these expectations. After the impact of Covid in...