Amazon Bedrock has announced the general availability of its Intelligent Prompt Routing, a serverless endpoint that efficiently routes requests between different foundation models within the same model family. The system dynamically predicts the response quality of each model for a request and routes the request to the model it determines is most appropriate based on cost and response quality. The system incorporates state-of-the-art methods for training routers for different sets of models, tasks, and prompts. Users can use the default prompt routers provided by Amazon Bedrock or configure their own prompt routers to adjust for performance linearly between the performance of two candidate LLMs. The system has reduced the overhead of added components by over 20% to approximately 85 ms (P90), resulting in an overall latency and cost benefit compared to always hitting the larger/more expensive model. Amazon Bedrock has conducted internal tests with proprietary and public data to evaluate the system’s performance metrics.
MoneyThumb’s AI enables the authentication of third-party PDF documents to analyze structural, metadata, and content-based patterns
MoneyThumb, a leader in automated document evaluation and fraud detection solutions, was awarded a U.S. patent for its Thumbprint product, an AI-driven technology that enables the authentication of third-party PDF documents. MoneyThumb’s Thumbprint patented technology leverages AI and advanced algorithms to analyze structural, metadata, and content-based patterns within PDF files. By identifying subtle discrepancies and inconsistencies, Thumbprint® helps detect fraud with its AI file tampering detection scoring model that identifies fraudulent activity in seconds, giving funders a powerful defense against risk and loan losses. Ryan Campbell, chief executive officer of MoneyThumb said “By formally protecting our IP, we’re not only strengthening our unique approach but also advancing the fight against digital document fraud across industries like lending, finance, law, and real estate.” MoneyThumb is transforming the lending industry by leading the shift from manual document processes to full automation. Its advanced technology streamlines data extraction and analysis, enabling funders to make faster, more accurate decisions.
Albertsons adds video functionality to its retail media network to enable advertisers to place shoppable video ads into e-commerce site
Albertsons Companies is deploying the Criteo Onsite Video solution to place shoppable video ads from CPG companies participating in its Albertsons Media Collective retail media network. As a result, Albertsons can now offer CPG advertisers a full-funnel onsite advertising suite combining video, display and sponsored product ad formats in one unified platform. Albertsons Media Collective is a beta partner for Criteo Onsite Video, and in a test campaign found that shoppers exposed to both onsite video and sponsored product ads delivered a 280% increase in click-through rates. When paired with sponsored product ads, onsite video ads also drove a 460% lift in sales. Other initiatives Albertsons intends to launch to enhance its retail media network in 2025 include bringing together the insights that Albertsons Media Collective has in order to create automation around its main media planning process, as well as bringing more transparency to measurement. “Video has always been a powerful storytelling tool but rarely a direct driver of commerce – until now,” said Stephen Howard-Sarin, managing director, retail media, Americas at Criteo. “It’s an incredibly exciting time for retail media. With the launch of onsite video into general availability, we’re giving brands, agencies and retailers the tools to captivate, convert and create meaningful shopping experiences.”
The U.S. Faster Payments Council is advocating for the use of email address and phone number identifiers via a shared, open digital directory to increase adoption of real-time payments and ensure interoperability
The U.S. Faster Payments Council advocated for the use of email address and phone number identifiers via a shared, open digital directory in a report this month as a way to increase adoption of real-time payments in the U.S. The council used a consumer bill payment example to show how an open directory could streamline and speed up the adoption of real-time payments in the U.S., explaining that existing closed loop directories aren’t inoperable and therefore hinder broader instant payment use. “As instant payments adoption continues to grow, financial institutions, fintechs, and payment service providers face challenges in managing account information, ensuring interoperability, and mitigating fraud risks,” the council said in an April 7 press release regarding the report. “Directory services play a key role in addressing these challenges by enabling seamless routing of payments and protecting sensitive payment credentials.” The Federal Reserve launched a real-time payments system called FedNow in 2023 and it competes with a private system called RTP that was started in 2017 by The Clearing House, which is owned by major banks. Both systems operate through banks. The U.S. has lagged other countries, such as India and Brazil, in cultivating use of such faster payment systems.
Bilt Rewards platform enables students to earn rewards on their student housing payments and redeem their rewards toward student loan repayments
Bilt Rewards now enables students to earn rewards on their student housing payments and redeem their rewards toward student loan payments. The first of these new capabilities results from the expansion of the Bilt Rewards network of homes to include student housing properties, beginning with those of its launch partner American Campus Communities (ACC). This partnership with ACC, which is a student housing company and a Blackstone portfolio company, will begin in late May at two properties at Baylor University and then expand in the coming months to the broader ACC portfolio that serves nearly 140,000 students. The collaboration extends to student housing properties the Bilt Rewards payments and commerce network that transforms housing and neighborhood spending into rewards and benefits. The other new feature announced — the ability for Bilt members to redeem their Bilt Points toward eligible student loan payments — is the first of its kind for Bilt Rewards. Starting Wednesday, Bilt members can redeem Bilt Points on student loans with five servicers: Nelnet, MOHELA, Sallie Mae, Aidvantage and Navient.
OpenAI is planning a truly ‘open reasoning’ AI system with a ‘handoff’ feature that would enable it to make calls to the OpenAI API to access other, larger models for a substantial computational lift
OpenAI is gearing up to release an AI system that’s truly “open,” meaning it’ll be available for download at no cost and not gated behind an API. Beyond its benchmark performance, OpenAI may have a key feature up its sleeve — one that could make its open “reasoning” model highly competitive. Company leaders have been discussing plans to enable the open model to connect to OpenAI’s cloud-hosted models to better answer complex queries. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman described the capability as a “handoff.” If the feature — as sources describe it — makes it into the open model, it will be able to make calls to the OpenAI API to access the company’s other, larger models for a substantial computational lift. It’s unclear if the open model will have the ability to access some of the many tools OpenAI’s models can use, like web search and image generation. The idea for the handoff feature was suggested by a developer during one of OpenAI’s recent developer forums, according to a source. The suggestion appears to have gained traction within the company. OpenAI has been hosting a series of community feedback events with developers to help shape its upcoming open model release. A local model that can tap into more powerful cloud systems brings to mind Apple Intelligence, Apple’s suite of AI capabilities that uses a combination of on-device models and models running in “private” data centers. OpenAI stands to benefit in obvious ways. Beyond generating incremental revenue, a handoff could rope more members of the open source community into the company’s premium ecosystem.
Amazon’s new benchmark to evaluate AI coding agents’ ability to navigate and understand complex codebases and GitHub issues
Amazon has introduced SWE-PolyBench, the first industry benchmark to evaluate AI coding agents’ ability to navigate and understand complex codebases. The benchmark, which measures system performance in GitHub issues, has spurred the development of capable coding agents and has become the de-facto standard for coding agent benchmarking. SWE-PolyBench contains over 2,000 curated issues in four languages and a stratified subset of 500 issues for rapid experimentation. The benchmark aims to advance AI performance in real-world scenarios. Key features of SWE-PolyBench at a glance: Multi-Language Support: Java (165 tasks), JavaScript (1017 tasks), TypeScript (729 tasks), and Python (199 tasks). Extensive Dataset: 2110 instances from 21 repositories ranging from web frameworks to code editors and ML tools, on the same scale as SWE-Bench full with more repository. Task Variety: Includes bug fixes, feature requests, and code refactoring. Faster Experimentation: SWE-PolyBench500 is a stratified subset for efficient experimentation. Leaderboard: A leaderboard with a rich set of metrics for transparent benchmarking.
VoPay’s solution enables banks and SaaS platforms to offer full-stack embedded real-time cross border payments by using APIs, white-label deployment or through no-code services
Embedded financial technology provider VoPay has announced the launch of its new Cross-Border Payments-As-A-Service solution. The white-label technology will enable organisations to move money around the world with full transparency, compliance, and real-time FX. In addition, being built for software platforms and financial institutions, the product will allow firms to benefit from its features without the need to build their own cross-border infrastructure. With this solution, partners and collaborators will have the possibility to expand into global markets and deliver a secure cross-border payment offering. VoPay will continue to focus on meeting the needs, preferences, and demands of clients and users in an ever-evolving market, while prioritising the process of remaining compliant with the regulatory requirements and laws of the industry as well. In addition, VoPay’s solution is purpose-built to serve vertical SaaS platforms, digital marketplaces, and ERP providers, as well as payroll platforms and financial institutions that are looking to unlock new revenue from international money movement. Included in its key capabilities are a full-stack embedded payments, real-time FX engine, compliance by design, end-to-end orchestration, white-label flexibility, and speed to market features. Software platforms and FIs can launch Cross-Border Payments in a way that fits their business model. This includes the possibility to embed the experience directly into their platform using branded UI components and developer-first APIs, launch a Turnkey Solution using VoPay’s white-label deployment model, or access no-code services from the company’s dashboard with full functionality–zero development needed.
Bilt Rewards partners with Southwest Airlines to enable members to turn points earned from housing payments into points that can be used to make flight bookings
Bilt Rewards has partnered with Southwest Airlines to enable Bilt members to turn points earned from housing payments into points that can be used to book flights. Bilt members can convert their Bilt Points into Southwest Rapid Rewards points at a 1-to-1 ratio. Bilt Points are earned each time members pay their rent on time through Bilt. “Now, your housing payment that was once just a monthly expense can unlock travel experiences with one of America’s most popular airlines, giving our members access to more destinations across the U.S. and beyond,” Bilt Founder and CEO Ankur Jain said. Bilt and Southwest plan to add exclusive promotions and enhanced capabilities for their customers as their new partnership evolves. Jonathan Clarkson, vice president and chief product officer at Southwest Airlines, said that the collaboration “allows Southwest to connect with a unique audience of renters and homeowners across the United States while offering them the opportunity to use their Bilt Points to fly Southwest.” Bilt Points can now be used toward travel across over 100 airlines and hotel partners, fitness classes at boutique studios, art and home decor through the Bilt Home Design Collection, rent credits, future down payments on a home, or eligible student loans.
Two’s B2B BNPL solution can be embedded directly into merchants’ checkouts, providing instant trade credit at the POS enabling consolidating multiple purchases into grouped monthly statements
A new wave of European startups is actively pursuing expansion into the US B2B BNPL sector as part of broader international growth strategies. Among them is Two, a B2B BNPL firm currently running a pilot program in North America as it prepares for a full-scale launch into the region’s BNPL market. While Two doesn’t yet have a physical footprint in the United States, it maintains an online presence through partnerships with Santander and Allianz, whose operations span the Americas, including the US. Two’s current pilot program offers trade credit solutions through its white-labeled Buy Now, Pay Later service and its installment product. These solutions are integrated into merchants’ checkout, existing financial workflows, and payment systems, enabling buyers to break large purchases over up to 24 months. Andreas Mjelde, CEO & Co-Founder of Two, shares that the company is preparing to roll out its full product lineup in North America by the second quarter of 2025. The full lineup will include: 1) B2B BNPL embedded directly into guest checkouts, providing instant trade credit to businesses at the point of sale. Currently, BNPL is embedded in certain open and closed-wall checkouts. 2) Trade Accounts that will enable businesses to consolidate multiple purchases into grouped monthly statements, simplifying payment management and cash flow oversight. 3) Extended installment plans, providing repayment options of up to 36 months for businesses managing larger transactions. He explains that the firm’s localized approach incorporates regional credit risk assessments and personalized repayment experience targeting the specific needs of US-based companies. ”Our proprietary risk models, Frida and Delphi, deliver high acceptance rates while minimizing friction for buyers,” says Andreas. This automation speeds up onboarding and boosts approval rates, without the need for hard credit checks. The firm has built its machine learning infrastructure and AI models in-house. Two is pursuing a phased expansion strategy, starting in US states with high digital payment adoption with the support of global banking partnerships, before scaling further