Keeta announced the first-ever blockchain-native credit bureau created in partnership with SOLO, a credit data infrastructure platform backed by over 100 banks. Keeta is enabling SOLO’s PASS, a digital certificate that consolidates fragmented financial credentials into a verified identity, for seamless lending, peer-to-peer credit, and on-chain financial reputation, all backed by 100% provable data and assets. Keeta is the only blockchain that can facilitate PASS for institutions and platforms to confidently underwrite loans with verified, user-permissioned data. The product also enables modern credit rails for wallets, dApps, and embedded finance, while allowing for pseudonymous lending and borrowing based on trusted credentials. Now, crypto & Web3 builders, global earners paid in stablecoins, DAOS, VCs, banks, and others have access to a robust on-chain credit system. As a bank-grade, verified financial identity layer, PASS includes KYC, KYB, income, crypto assets, and business credentials. It provides users instant, secure, and self-owned credentials, granting them access to the global economy. They control when, where, and how they share information. With PASS, banks can now serve their crypto-native customers with full visibility, spend controls, and risk alignment. The partnership will be rolled out in phases, with verified profiles launching in Summer 2025. Additional features will include a lending marketplace with verified reputations, stablecoin-based loan origination offering real-world APR relief to crypto-native borrowers, and bank integrations.
The new Walmart “Retail Rewired Report” reveals that the trust gap between AI-based recommendations and influencer endorsements is much smaller than may have been anticipated.
The new Walmart “Retail Rewired Report” reveals that the trust gap between AI-based recommendations and influencer endorsements is much smaller than may have been anticipated. More than one-in-four (27%) surveyed consumers prefer AI suggestions to those from social media influencers (24%), which Walmart says signals a turning point for AI. The preference for AI suggestions was most pronounced among the respondent subsets of earning $100,000 or more per year (40% AI/23% social media influencers), males (36% AI/23% social media influencers), Gen X (32% AI/20% social media influencers) and parents (39% AI/30% social media influencers). The survey also shows that respondents have a general desire for a fast shopping experience, with many seeing AI as a valuable tool for speeding things up. Seven-in-10 (69%) said speed of the entire shopping experience is a priority. This number climbed to 80% among parents. More than half (54%) of respondents agreed that using digital shopping agents or assistants saved time, while 25% disagreed. The top three respondent concerns regarding AI shopping agents were privacy and security when sharing preferences and data (37%), irrelevant product suggestions (33%), and getting pushed toward products and brands they do not have an interest in (29%). Based on survey results, Walmart issued the following three findings about consumer attitudes toward AI: Traditional search methods still reign supreme, Trust in AI varies by product category, AI can recommend — but not replace — human decision-making
Palantir and fintech Bolt partner for Checkout 2.0 that delivers personalized flows that evolve with the user—prioritizing preferred payment methods, remembering prior selections and surfacing relevant information at just the right time
Bolt and Palantir have partnered to usher in a new era of intelligent ecommerce checkout—one that’s personalized, dynamic and deeply informed by data. Checkout 2.0, a self-learning, self-improving checkout, replaces static, form-based flows with an adaptive, real-time system that responds to each shopper’s unique preferences, behaviors and context. Rather than displaying the same interface to every shopper, Checkout 2.0 delivers personalized flows that evolve with the user—prioritizing preferred payment methods, remembering prior selections and surfacing relevant information at just the right time. Bolt will leverage Palantir’s platform to help scale Checkout 2.0 across enterprise retailers and expand it within Bolt’s recently launched SuperApp—an all-in-one finance and crypto hub that delivers real-time shopper signals. As both platforms evolve, Checkout 2.0 will bring deeper personalization and intelligence to every phase of the buying journey. Through this partnership, Bolt will integrate Palantir’s advanced decisioning engine to dynamically adapt checkout flows and enable smarter, contextually aware logic. Merchants will also benefit from intelligent post-checkout payment routing. Checkout 2.0 will evaluate transaction attributes—such as volume, category or geography—and select the optimal payment gateway to maximize authorization rates and reduce processing costs. This behind-the-scenes intelligence delivers better margins and a smoother experience. Checkout 2.0’s architecture includes: Self-learning shopper profiles that adapt over time based on usage, behavior and purchase history; Dynamic payment method reordering based on shopper preferences and device; Post-checkout routing optimization to improve processing economics in real time; Native crypto payment support.
Postman looks to streamline API and agentic AI development with Agent Mode that automates API design, testing, documentation, and monitoring through natural language inputs
Postman Inc. is rolling out a suite of AI-driven features aimed at transforming API development. The company’s latest introduction, Agent Mode, automates API design, testing, documentation, and monitoring through natural language inputs. This feature acts as a fully capable execution agent, streamlining development workflows and reducing manual effort. Beyond Agent Mode, Postman is enhancing real-time API observability, enterprise-ready integrations, and support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which standardizes the way AI agents interact with third-party tools. Developers will soon have the ability to create their own AI agents and deploy them in their workspaces, improving efficiency in both daily engineering tasks and broader operations. One standout addition is Postman Insights, which provides real-time tracking for API usage, failure patterns, and proactive debugging. The Repo Mode feature further simplifies testing, allowing developers to reproduce API failures for easier troubleshooting. Meanwhile, integration with the Model Context Protocol enables APIs to function as callable agent tools, generate MCP servers, and connect with Postman’s newly launched MCP server network. The company is also introducing workflow integrations designed to accelerate API delivery and shorten development cycles. The integration with GitHub enables real-time collection synchronization and branch-based governance, while Jira supports context-aware issue tracking. Postman is strengthening collaboration among developer teams by linking its platform with Slack and Microsoft Teams.
iOS 18 saw below average adoption despite Apple Intelligence, just an average of 83.2% compared to iOS 14 which saw the highest adoption rate with 90%.
By January 2025, iOS 18 appeared to be ahead of its predecessor, reaching 76% of all compatible iPhones a month before iOS 17 did the year before. Users are adopting iOS 18.1 at twice the rate that they adopted 17.1 in the year ago quarter. Apple says that iOS 18 is currently installed on 82% of all compatible iPhones. In announcing that figure, Apple said that this adoption rate is down to its users being aware of the benefits of updating, plus how simple the company has made it to update. Comparing Apple’s own figures from the last ten years, however, iOS 18 comes in at just under the average of 83.2%. In the last decade, iOS 14 saw the highest adoption rate with 90%. Then iOS 17 scored the lowest with 77%. since 2019, the company has separately recorded the iOS adoption rate for iPhones released in the previous four years.It’s not clear why it introduced this, or why it chose four years, but the figures do not materially help iOS 18’s case.Using only this last-four-years data from Apple in 2019, the average adoption rate is 87.9%. That means iOS 18’s figure of 88% is just 0.1% above the average.The minimum adoption rate during this period and for this range of iPhones is 85%, which was achieved by both iOS 12 and iOS 14. The maximum was 92% for iOS 13. Overall, iOS adoption rate for all compatible devices is reasonably steady, having never fallen below 77% in the last ten years, and never rising above 90%.
Google AI Mode can create charts to answer financial questions, based on Google credits “advanced models [that] understand the intent of the question
Google can now answer your questions with custom data visualization and graphs. The first domain for this is financial data when asking about stocks and mutual funds. This can be used to compare stocks, see prices during a specific period, and more. Google credits “advanced models [that] understand the intent of the question,” with AI Mode using historical and real-time information. It will then “intelligently determine how to present information to help you make sense of it.” You can interact with the generated chart and ask follow-up questions. Other AI Mode features Google previewed at I/O include Search Live, Deep Search, Personal Context, and agentic capabilities powered by Project Mariner. In other AI Mode tweaks, Google restored Lens and voice input to the Search bar when you’re scrolling through the Discover feed. Meanwhile, Google Labs announced an experiment that “lets you interact conversationally with AI representations of trusted experts built in partnership with the experts themselves.” You can ask questions of these “Portraits” and get back responses based on their knowledge and “authentic” content/work in the expert’s voice “via an illustrated avatar.” The first is from “Radical Candor” author Kim Scott. You might want to ask about “tough workplace situations or practice difficult conversations.” Portraits use “Gemini’s understanding and reasoning capabilities to generate a relevant and insightful response.” Google says it “conducted extensive testing and implemented user feedback mechanisms to proactively identify and address potential problematic scenarios.”
Google starts testing ‘Search Live’ in AI Moe letting you have a real-time conversation with Google
Google is beginning to test AI Mode’s new “Search Live” experience. Powered by Project Astra (just like Gemini Live), it lets you have a real-time conversation with Google. If rolled out to you, the Google app will show a waveform badged by a sparkle underneath the Search bar. (That is curiously the same icon used by Gemini Live. As such, this must be Google’s icon for “Live” conversational experiences.) It replaces the left Google Lens shortcut that immediately opened your gallery/screenshots. Another way to launch Search Live is from the new circular button to the right of the text field in AI Mode conversations. The fullscreen interface has a light or dark background with the new ‘G’ logo in the top-left corner. There’s a curved waveform in the Google colors, while pill-shaped buttons let you “Mute” and get a “Transcript.” Currently, that second button just opens the AI Mode text chat (ending the Live conversation) instead of showing you real-time captions. Tap the three-dot overflow menu for Voice settings, with four options available: Cosmo, Neso, Terra, and Cassini. After you ask a question, Search Live will surface sites used to inform the answer with a scrollable carousel. Google can ask you clarifying questions to refine your query, while you’re free to ask follow-ups. You can exit the Google app and continue your conversation in the background.(The iOS app makes use of Live Activities.) As of today, Search Live’s camera capability that lets you stream video is not yet available. It’s similar to how Gemini Live first rolled out the voice experience before getting camera sharing.
New bill requires the SBA report on the performance of and risk associated with 7(a) loans generated through loan agent activity, to combat fraud and improve transparency
The House of Representatives passed legislation that its sponsor said will combat fraud and improve transparency in a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan program. The legislation, the 7(a) Loan Agent Oversight Act (H.R. 1804), requires the SBA’s Office of Credit Risk Management to provide Congress with an annual report on the performance of and risk associated with SBA 7(a) loans generated through loan agent activity. The bill passed on a vote of 405 to 3, with two Republicans and one Democrat voting against it. The legislation was received in the Senate Wednesday (June 4) and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. The data in the report required by the legislation will enable Congress to oversee the loan program, which the SBA’s Inspector General found has seen over $335 million in documented loan agent fraud. “My bill ensures that both Congress and the SBA have the necessary data to provide proper oversight by requiring the SBA’s Office of Credit Risk Management to collect and report on fraudulent loans, default rates, and risk analysis of loan agents operating within the program,” Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa. said. “Strengthening transparency and accountability will protect taxpayer dollars, ensure the 7(a) Loan Program remains a successful public-private partnership, and help small businesses continue to access the capital they need to grow.”
JPMorganChase announces new Corporate Responsibility impact strategy advancing s financial health and wellness for traditionally underserved LMI communities by building stability, supporting resilience and creating & protecting wealth
JPMorganChase announced a new Corporate Responsibility impact strategy aimed at bolstering financial health and economic growth in communities across the U.S., particularly those living on low- and moderate-incomes (LMI). The firm will use this strategy to enhance its commitments to advancing financial health and wellness for traditionally underserved LMI communities through new engagements and commitments across philanthropic and impact finance capital, policy advocacy, research and community partnerships. The new strategy is focused on three key financial health components – financial stability, financial resilience, and wealth building and protection – and is informed by lessons learned through $100 million in philanthropic and impact finance commitments deployed over the past three years, as well as successes realized across the consumer bank in tailoring products and services to community needs. At EMERGE Financial Health Conference in San Diego, the firm released detailed lessons learned through its past philanthropic and impact finance investments as well as business successes, which have included increased market share, savings account growth, and improved credit scores in historically underserved LMI communities. These lessons are part of a new report, Advancing Financial Health for Americans, available here. Informed by these insights, the new strategy is designed to address unique challenges faced by historically underserved LMI communities and centered on three key phases to support individuals at every stage of their financial health journey: Building financial stability to ensure individuals can manage their day-to-day financial lives with ease, which is foundational to realizing bigger financial goals.
New Moody’s Analytics report echoes Jamie Dimon in warning that private credit could be a “locus of contagion” in a downturn
A new Moody’s Analytics report warns that private credit could be a “locus of contagion” in a downturn. The concerns echo past criticisms of the booming industry from JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon. The report raised concerns about what it called the industry’s growing “interconnections” across industries from banking to insurance. “The same institutional investors, say an insurance company or a sovereign wealth fund, might hold stakes in private credit funds, CLOs, and public corporate bonds,” the report said, adding:”If losses occur in one investment, that investor may be forced to liquidate assets elsewhere, propagating stress.” Dimon said that there “could be hell to pay” if the private credit sector falters, saying it reminds him a “little bit” of the mortgage industry. Private credit investors, like Apollo CEO Marc Rowan, have argued that the new model is actually making the financial system safer. “Jamie is an amazing representative of the banking industry,” “But every dollar that moves out of the banking industry and into the investment marketplace makes the system safer and more resilient and less levered.” The private credit industry is still much smaller than banking, and does “not yet appear to be systemically important,” the report said, adding that “it could disproportionately amplify a future crisis.” The report listed regulatory recommendations that could soften the potential impact of a private-credit crisis, such as increased stress-testing of large funds, transparency and data reporting, and limits or guidelines on leverage at certain funds. In other words: Make private credit funds a bit more like banks. “The objective is not to stifle the beneficial innovation that private credit provides but to shine a light on its risks and linkages so that a rapidly growing part of corporate finance, and potentially other sectors, does not become a blind spot,” the report said.