Ep. 36 - Nvidia on Payments Foundation Models, Connected Intelligence and the Next Wave of Financial Innovation, with Georgios Kolovos, Payments & Fintech Leader @ Nvidia

In this episode, hosts Grant Evans and Justin Hanna are joined by Georgios Kolovos, Payments and Fintech Leader at NVIDIA, to explore how AI infrastructure, foundation models, and connected intelligence are reshaping financial services.Georgios shares insights from the evolving AI ecosystem — from the role of core-stack innovators like NVIDIA to how financial institutions are beginning to rethink their technology stacks for the age of payments intelligence. The conversation unpacks what Payments Foundation Models actually are, why organisations are shifting from siloed transaction data toward connected intelligence, and how early examples from players like Revolut and Adyen hint at what’s coming next.They also dive into agentic commerce, sovereign AI architectures, and the governance challenges of high-risk AI, including what the EU AI Act means for financial institutions trying to innovate responsibly.Looking ahead, the discussion explores whether financial services are moving toward autonomous decision-making systems, the importance of open models, and what the payments ecosystem could look like five years from now.Plus, Georgios takes on The Payments Shed’s legendary Shelf of Shame — nominating something from fintech he’d happily banish forever.***The Payments Shed Podcast is headline sponsored by ISX Financial.ISX Financial, delivers a unified ecosystem with multi-currency accounts, online payments,  real-time UK and EU transfers and global mass payouts. Within that platform, PaidBy® provides Pay by Bank with real-time settlement notifications, automated reconciliation and integrated refund management. One partner, one integration — helping your business transact with confidence. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.isx.financial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by Snap Finance UK.Snap Finance is a flexible point-of-sale finance provider helping consumers spread the cost of essential purchases. They offer transparent repayment options, built around accessibility and real-world affordability, focused on making credit work better for everyday shoppers.***The Payments Shed Podcast is supported by PCN.PCN is a boutique recruitment agency rooted in Amsterdam, driven by a singular mission: connecting top talent with industry leaders. PCN specialises in five core pillars — Fintech, Cybersecurity, SaaS, E-Commerce, and Salesforce — backed by a global network across borders.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://teampcn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***Disclaimer. Any views or opinions referenced in this podcast episode are our own, or those of our respective guests, and they do not represent any views, opinions, or statements from our respective employers, or those of our guests. Additionally, any views expressed here are not intended as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.