In this episode, Ryan Harmon and I dig into a question we’re hearing more and more from banks and credit unions: how much AI traffic are financial institution websites actually getting and is it worth optimizing for yet?

AI search is projected to overtake Google search within the next few years, and that shift comes with a major implication: the primary users of FI websites won’t just be humans anymore, they’ll be AI agents. The problem is, popular analytics tools like Google Analytics aren’t built to measure this kind of traffic. They’re designed to filter bots out, not help you understand what AI agents are doing on your site.

In this conversation, we break down the difference between AI visibility and AI traffic, explain the three types of AI bots interacting with websites today, and share what we’re learning as we launch a new research study to measure real AI traffic across credit union and bank websites. If you want to understand how the Agentic Web is changing analytics, SEO, and digital strategy for financial institutions, this episode is for you.

00:00 Welcome back and episode overview
01:00 Why AI traffic matters for banks and credit unions
02:30 The difference between AI visibility and AI traffic
04:00 How AI answers questions vs. how Google search works
06:30 Why visibility doesn’t equal traffic
08:30 Why financial institutions started asking for AI traffic data
10:00 What it means when AI agents visit your website
11:30 The three types of AI bots (user, indexer, training)
14:00 Seeing AI agents visit your site in real time
16:30 Why Google Analytics can’t measure AI traffic
18:00 Clicks vs. “intent hits” in the AI era
20:00 Why most AI interactions don’t result in website visits
22:00 How AI agents use content differently than humans
24:00 Long-form content vs. modular content for AI
27:00 The tradeoffs of content structure for AI agents
29:30 What this research study aims to uncover
31:00 How to participate in the AI traffic research study
33:00 Final thoughts and next steps

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In this episode, I walk through a prototype that explores what I believe is the next major shift in banking: AI-first banking experiences built directly inside tools like ChatGPT. Instead of navigating complex apps and menus, you simply tell an AI what you want to do and it handles the work for you.

Joined by my co-founder, Ryan Harmon, I demonstrate how a ChatGPT-based banking app could open accounts, move money between accounts, analyze transactions, and provide personalized financial insights all through natural language and lightweight UI components.

We also discuss why AI-first banking is fundamentally different from traditional UI-based apps, what this means for user experience design, and why this shift is closer than most people realize. If you want to understand how AI agents could transform personal finance, budgeting, and everyday banking tasks, this episode is one you’ll want to watch- especially the demo.

00:00 Introduction and overview of AI-first banking

01:00 Setting up a banking prototype inside ChatGPT

02:30 Viewing accounts and balances inside the chat interface

04:00 Opening a new savings account with natural language

06:00 Confirmations, approvals, and human-in-the-loop controls

08:00 Why minimal UI works better with AI agents

10:30 Envelope budgeting and real-world banking pain points

13:00 Why traditional banking apps fall short

15:00 Executing multiple transfers with a single command

18:00 AI vs. UI-based banking experiences

21:00 Analyzing transactions and spending behavior

24:00 Why most people don’t budget and how AI changes that

27:00 AI agents as proactive financial assistants

31:00 Finding savings opportunities automatically

35:00 Subscription management, negotiation, and optimization

38:00 The future of AI agents managing money

41:00 Real examples already appearing in ChatGPT (Ramp, Stripe)

45:00 Why banking apps are coming to ChatGPT

48:00 What needs to happen for this to become real

52:00 Final thoughts on the future of AI-first banking

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In this episode, I sit down with Joe Colca, founder of Forge Clarity, to talk about a challenge credit unions and banks keep running into as they try to compete with digital-first players. Most people frame this as a technology problem. Joe and I don’t see it that way.

With more than 26 years of experience at organizations like Vanguard, Citi, and VyStar Credit Union, Joe shares why the real issue isn’t a lack of technology, it’s a lack of strategic clarity. We dig into why many financial institutions struggle to deliver strong digital experiences, how the Innovator’s Dilemma applies to banking today, and what leaders should be thinking about as AI, fintech partnerships, and new operating models reshape the industry.

Listen to learn why strategy, not technology, is the real bottleneck for digital transformation, and what banks and credit unions can do to position themselves for the future.

00:00 Welcome back and episode introduction
01:00 Introducing Joe Colca and his background in financial services
05:00 Joe’s career journey from Vanguard to Citi to VyStar
10:30 The Innovator’s Dilemma and its relevance to banking today
14:30 Branch-based vs. branchless banking models
18:00 Why digital transformation feels so hard for credit unions
22:30 Technology upgrades vs. meeting member expectations
27:30 Fintech partnerships and the build vs. buy decision
33:00 Can banks successfully be both branch-based and digital-first?
38:00 Strategy problems vs. technology problems
43:30 Spinoff digital banks as a potential solution
50:00 Real-world examples of credit union digital spinoffs
56:00 The impact of AI on the future of banking experiences
01:01:30 What Forge Clarity does and who it helps
01:06:30 One action leaders should take right now: strategic clarity
01:09:00 Final thoughts and wrap-up

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