Reseda Summit 2026: Chris Otey (CU 2.0)

Chris Otey discusses CU 2.0’s AI coaching work for credit unions, saying the program has expanded quickly and now includes multiple credit unions and a CUSO. He says the approach is practical rather than theoretical, with coaching focused on helping institutions learn to use tools like Claude and other agentic AI systems or build their own applications.

he gives an example from Mission Fed, where CU 2.0 is helping build a subpoena-handling agent that gathers check images, transaction history, and statements. He says the goal is to place such tools on CU 2.0’s enterprise platform so other credit unions can use them, and he mentions that the platform already hosts many apps, including tools for ATM balancing and other operational tasks.

Otey says credit unions enter the coaching program at different levels of experience. Some need basic instruction on what AI tools are and how to use them, while others can start building quickly. He says CU 2.0 adapts its coaching to each institution and uses discovery calls, biweekly sessions, and executive sponsorship to support the work across departments. He says the coaching is suitable for smaller credit unions too, especially those under $500 million in assets that know about generative AI but are not yet using it.

He then shifts to the idea of “bring your own agent,” describing personal AI agents that could manage deposits, loans, and payments across financial institutions. Otey says this may create a divide between people who use agents and those who do not, but he views it as another technology shift similar to the early internet. He says credit unions should build their own agents so they are part of the decision-making process when these tools become more common.

He also says different agents will likely serve different functions, such as shopping or email assistance, and mentions CU 2.0’s own personal agent, Willis. He ends by discussing fintech consolidation, saying narrow point solutions may be harder to sustain and that the market is beginning to roll up smaller companies into larger platforms.