AI & Cybersecurity

Partnering for Growth: Building Effective Fintech Relationships

How community banks can innovate with AI through their partners, and how to bring the skeptic along.

Dante Tosetti

President, Magnolia Financial

Armin Wasicek, PhD

Co-founder & CTO, ZorroFi

CCBN Executive Innovation Forum · San Diego · September 29, 2026ZorroFi

Who's up here

Dante Tosetti

President, Magnolia Financial

The banker's side of the table: risk, controls, and whether it actually solves a problem.

Armin Wasicek

Co-founder & CTO, ZorroFi

The builder's side: AI for commercial credit teams, with a background in AI security.

Partnering for GrowthZorroFi

How I use AI at work: Armin

  • Writing, reviewing, and testing code every day
  • Reading documents at scale: tax returns, K-1s, financial statements
  • Research and first drafts, from specs to this talk
  • Where I don't: the final judgment call (AI prepares, experts decide)

Data privacy is a choice, not a given.

Partnering for GrowthZorroFi

How I use AI at work: Dante

  • Summarizing documents
  • Drafting emails
  • Discovered LM Studio: AI running locally, so the data never leaves my machine

A daily tool, not a science project.

Partnering for GrowthZorroFi

Everyone wants innovation. Then he shows up.

Every bank has someone who says no. Let's convince him together. Who is he at your bank?

Poll · show of hands ZorroFi

As an innovation leader, where do you want your bank to be?

What keeps you from getting there?

72%of banks have implemented generative AIBank Director 2026 Technology Survey
12%describe their AI strategy as well-defined and resourcedWolters Kluwer, Q1 2026
Poll · show of hands ZorroFi

How about your partners and vendors? Are they using AI?

ChatGPT says“100%”
Poll · show of hands ZorroFi

Is it harder for banks or for vendors to put AI into their software stack?

CultureBanks aren't software shops, and shipping fast isn't in the DNA.
Software expertiseAI engineers are scarce and expensive to hire and keep.
Economy of scaleA vendor builds once and spreads the cost across many banks.
Regulatory requirementsModel risk, exams, and compliance reviews slow every in-house project.
Poll · show of hands ZorroFi

What are community banks good at?

Customer relationshipsBankers who know the borrower, not just the file.
Local knowledgeDeep understanding of their market and community.
TrustCustomers stay because they trust their bank.
Partner relationshipsPPP: community banks outperformed by working with partners.

Relationships with vendors are relationships too.

~60%of community banks name fintech partnerships a current priorityWolf & Company, 2026 (17 banks)
Partnering for Growth ZorroFi

What's holding us back from partner AI?

What are you worried about?

55%of community banks name security and data leakage a top AI challengeWolf & Company, 2026 (17 banks)
40%are concerned about risks from third-party and vendor AIWolf & Company, 2026
Open discussion ZorroFi

What's actually working?

Seven use cases. For each one: who's running it, how you built it, and how it went.

Use case workshopZorroFi

Use cases in the wild

    How did you build it?

    Success vs. risk score each use case 0–5 on the left

    Start here · high success, low risk
    High success, high risk
    Low success, low risk
    Low success, high risk

    What makes a good AI implementation?

    Measurable outcomeA baseline before, a number after.
    Human reviewPeople make the decisions.
    Audit trailEvery output traced to its source.
    Small scopeOne problem, not an end-to-end project.
    Accountable partnerSomeone owns the model and the results.
    Controlled dataYou decide what the partner sees and keeps.

    To convince him:

    1. Pick one use case
    2. Record a baseline
    3. Run a pilot
    4. Report the numbers
    Partnering for GrowthZorroFi

    Did we convince that guy?

    1. Logic and reasonThe real risks are known, and they can be mitigated.
    2. Start small and measureOne use case, a baseline, and the numbers.
    3. Vendors are partnersRelationships are what community banks do best.
    Thank you · Dante Tosetti · Armin WasicekZorroFi
    Partnering for Growth handout: on your own vs. with a partner, and how to reach ZorroFi
    Find the handout in the event agenda.

    Questions about AI?
    Let's talk.

    Bring one process you wish were faster. We'll help you figure out where AI fits, what to measure, and whether to start on your own or with a partner.

    Armin Wasicek, PhD

    CTO, ZorroFi

    armin@zorrofi.com

    (510) 542-7718

    zorrofi.com

    QR code linking to Armin Wasicek's LinkedIn profile
    Connect on LinkedIn
    Partnering for Growth · CCBN Executive Innovation Forum 2026ZorroFi