"How Arizona Financial Credit Union Competes With Big Banks — AI, BNPL & Stable coins | Eric Givens"

In this episode, we sit down with Eric Givens, Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Arizona Financial Credit Union. Eric shares his 17-year journey from the front lines of the 2008 financial crisis to leading the charge in credit union innovation. We dive deep into the strategic implementation of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), the reality of integrating AI in financial services, and why the concept of a "Primary Financial Institution" is evolving into a battle for "top of wallet" status.In this episode, we discuss:The R&D Mindset: How Arizona Financial built a dedicated team to solve member and employee pain points.BNPL Strategy: Why keeping $1.5M in member funds within the credit union ecosystem was a game-changer.The AI Frontier: Moving beyond the hype to use Generative AI for operational efficiency and better call center support.Connectivity Hurdles: The "song and dance" of bridging legacy core systems with modern API-driven software.The Future of Digital Assets: Why stablecoins are on the research radar for 2026 and beyond.🎙️ About the Guest: Eric GivensEric Givens is a veteran Credit Union leader with a deep focus on the intersection of technology and member experience. Since 2008, he has navigated the shifting tides of the industry—from risk management to digital banking—and now oversees R&D at Arizona Financial, where he focuses on keeping the institution agile and tech-forward.⏱️ Chapter Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction & New York vs. Phoenix Weather01:17 - Eric’s 17-Year Journey: From Repossessions to R&D02:40 - The Goal of Technology: Avoiding the "Laggard" Trap04:09 - Implementing BNPL: Meeting Members Where They Are07:15 - Cutting Through the AI Hype: Agentic vs. Legacy AI10:38 - The "Connectivity" Challenge: APIs and Core Integration13:43 - Enhancing the Digital Experience: Automation over Flash15:45 - The $1 Trillion Shift: Researching Stablecoins18:06 - The Evolving Credit Union Model & Challenger Banks20:42 - Proudest Moments: Biometrics and Card Controls🚀 About The Outlier PodcastThe Outlier Podcast explores the edge of innovation in the financial world. We interview the leaders, thinkers, and "outliers" who are reshaping how we think about money, community banking, and the technology that powers it all.Digital First, Human Always.#TheOutlierPodcast #Fintech #CreditUnions #DigitalTransformation #BNPL #AIinBanking #LeadershipInsights #ArizonaFinancial