Brett King
- Writer and Host, Breaking Banks
- Host, The Futurists
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Bestselling Author branchtomorrow.com | Founder The Futurists | Host #1 podcasts BreakingBanks.com | TheFuturists.com
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Articles by Brett King
The Philosophy of Consciousness
In this week’s Futurist network we are joined live in the Dubai studio with two active AI architects, Jean-Baptiste Isnard (founder of Quantum Spirit) and Dr. Julia Michelin (founder of LumaBrush AI) a returning guest. The issue of whether AI is conscious continues to be debated at large but the question is perhaps not about if they are conscious but how the debate itself will change the view of human consciousness itself.
Nu Way of Banking: Nubank Makes Its Mark in the U.S. and More
In this episode, Brett King sits down with Carl Rivera, Chief Product Officer at Nubank—one of the world’s largest digital banking platforms—to discuss how Nubank is redefining modern banking. With customer-centricity at its core, Nu continues to pave new paths in financial services. In this conversation, Brett and Carl discuss Nubank’s exponential growth, international expansion, U.S. market entry, design philosophy and product strategy.
Emerging Infrastructure for Next Gen AI-based Financial Tech
As banking, wealth, and commerce converge, customers increasingly expect one view of their financial life — a view they often get from third-party apps rather than their bank. Are banks misdiagnosing what is holding them back? In this episode Brett King connects with Rob Rooney, Co-Founder and CEO of Hyperlayer to discuss emerging infrastructure for next-generation AI-based financial technology. Some listeners will know Rob from his 30-plus years at Morgan Stanley.
Open Source and Superintelligence
Independent AI researcher Mark Pesce returns to the Futurists with an update on the latest advances in open source artificial intelligence.
Unlocking Financial Access
As a Peace Corps volunteer with an engineering degree from MIT, Doug Ricket, Founder and CEO, PayJoy, a leading financial services provider for underserved consumers across emerging markets, learned first-hand what it means to build trust in underserved communities.
Rip Out the Core
In this episode host Brett King and Paolo Sironi, host of Breaking Banks’ sister podcast The Bankers’ Bookshelf, speak with Pal Krogdahl, author of Rip Out the Core—an essential guide for anyone wrestling with the stubborn realities of banking core modernization. Despite massive investments, many institutions still face overruns, delays, and outcomes that leave them no stronger than before.
Human Consciousness in an AI-Driven World
In This Episode What if AI could replicate your consciousness? Listen as Breaking Banks host Brett King connects with Paolo Sironi, host of Provoke.fm‘s The Banker’s Bookshelf about Paolo’s latest book, Quantum Sapiens. Paolo’s foray into literary fiction explores the intersection of quantum gravity, philosophy, and the future of human consciousness in an AI-driven world, providing a unique way to explore complex topics.
The Evolving Digital Economy
In this episode of Breaking Banks host Brett King sits down with Farbod Sadeghian, Founder and Executive Chairman of TheBlock. Based in Dubai, TheBlock is a fintech collaboration space dedicated to fintech, blockchain development, and crypto, bringing together fintech, AI, and capital markets to build the next economy of virtual assets, The conversation covers the origin story of TheBlock and the UAE’s regulatory landscape—specifically the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA).
The golden thread is becoming a golden burden
The irony wasn’t lost on me during a round table discussion with the Building Safety Regulator, organised by CM, CIOB and Procore. As well as the regulator, several major industry clients were present, and we spent much of the conversation talking about digitisation, the golden thread and improving the flow of information across the lifecycle of higher-risk buildings.
Everybody’s Robot Fighting
In This Episode This week on Breaking Banks Brett King interviews bestselling author Igor Pejic about his new book Tech Money: A Guide to the New Game of Technology Investing, available May 26th. Brett and Igor discuss turbocharged innovations, frontier technologies, and how AI and technology investment are changing our future.
AI will be the killer of our most Sacred Cows
Press enter or click to view image in full sizeWe need new organizing principles for human society (AI generated image) AI will be the killer of our most Sacred Cows The signs are all around us, but in our usual flawed human fashion, most of us are waiting for absolute proof before we believe it is real. Exponential versus Linear thinking Futurists use super-forecasting and foresight modeling as our tools of trade.
Inside Gaza: Arwa Damon on Crisis, Resilience, and Access
In This Episode This week, Breaking Banks offers a human interest story from Brett’s conference travels. Listen as Brett connects with Arwa Damon, former CNN reporter based in Istanbul, and current President and Founder of INARA, an NGO working in Palestine. INARA, International Network for Aid, Relief and Assistance, is a humanitarian organization providing rapid response and treatment to refugee children, its mission to ensure every child has the agency to create a dignified life.
Agentic Banking may be closer than you think
Yuval Noah Harari recently participated in the Wall Street Journal's CEO Council interview series while visiting London. In that interview he made a very succinct differentiation between technologies that have preceded AI, and AI itself. The core difference, Harari argues, is that the type of AI we are developing will have 'agency' - simply put, the ability to act independently of human intervention.
Inside The Futurists X Summit: Preparing For An AI Powered Future
In This Episode This week Breaking Banks comes to you from The Futurists X Summit in Dubai, the world’s largest gathering of top-ranked futurists. This summit brings together leaders, innovators and policymakers from around the globe for meaningful dialogue on the future of technology, business and society.
Inside Saudi Arabia’s Digital Banking Revolution
In This Episode Dr. Antoine Khadige, Senior Partner at Strategy+ GCC, and Mohamed AlSabea, Chief of Staff and Chief Strategy Officer at barq, join host Brett King for a special episode, live from The Money Pot studio at Money20/20 Middle East in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
How Will U.S. Banks Survive the Branch Decline? Branch Tomorrow
In This Episode This week on Breaking Banks we finish our series on Brett King’s new book, Branch Tomorrow where we’ve featured interviews with Brett’s contributing authors: Bruno Diniz, Efi Pylarinou, Jim Marous, Paolo Sironi, and Richard Turrin.
The Futurists Takeover: A Fascinating Interview With Physicist Brian Cox - Provoke.fm Media
In This Episode This week on Breaking Banks, we feature a fascinating and thought-provoking episode from our sister podcast, The Futurists, where Brett King welcomes celebrated experimental astrophysicist Professor Brian Cox. Professor Cox, an English physicist and musician, is widely recognized for presenting science programs such as BBC Radio 4’s The Infinite Monkey Cage and the Wonders of... series. He is also the author of two popular science books: Why Does E=mc²?
The Economics and Future of Banking: Branch Tomorrow
In This Episode This week on Breaking Banks we’re continuing our series on Brett King’s new book, Branch Tomorrow, featuring interviews with contributing authors: Bruno Diniz, Efi Pylarinou,Jim Marous, Paolo Sironi, and Richard Turrin. Each brings specialty in different markets giving Branch Tomorrow a multi-perspective look at banking, banking culture, and the future of financial services across the globe, from the US to India, Europe, China, and Latin America.
The Atmosphere Doesn’t Lie: Why 2025 Shows Climate Politics Losing to Physics
Press enter or click to view image in full size For 30 years, global summits promised action. Yet the atmosphere keeps rising, indifferent to speeches. As 2025 sets new records in carbon and catastrophe, the real contest has begun — politics against physics, and physics doesn’t negotiate. In this article we will explore the continued failure to do anything meaningful to address climate change, highlight hopefulness in pockets and explore where the problem lays today.
The Rise of Digital Banking and Fintechs: Branch Tomorrow - Provoke.fm Media
In This Episode This week on Breaking Banks we’re continuing our series on Brett King’s new book, Branch Tomorrow. We feature interviews with some of Brett’s contributing authors: Bruno Diniz, Efi Pylarinou, Jim Marous, Paolo Sironi, and Richard Turrin.
Britain at a Crossroads: Immigration, Politics, and the Battle Over Identity
Immigration has always shaped Britain. From Huguenot weavers settling in Spitalfields in the 1600s to post-war Caribbean nurses staffing the NHS, newcomers have been part of the national story. Yet in 2025, the politics of immigration feels less like history in motion and more like a fight for the country’s soul. Flags hang from motorway bridges, protests outside asylum hotels make evening bulletins, and Nigel Farage dominates headlines with promises of mass deportations.
The Real Border We Must Defend
Press enter or click to view image in full size Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash On every continent, ordinary people wake up each day wanting the same simple things: to feed their families, to feel safe, to live with dignity, and to leave behind a livable planet for their children. Yet the behavior of the world’s most powerful governments suggests their priorities lie elsewhere.
The Rise and Fall of the Branch Bank: Branch Tomorrow - Provoke.fm Media
In This Episode This week on Breaking Banks we’re excited to introduce Brett King’s latest book, Branch Tomorrow. This new book re-examines our understanding of bank branches, banking culture, and the future of financial services across the globe, from the US to India, China and Latin America. In a special Breaking Banks series, Brett interviews contributing authors Bruno Diniz, Efi Pylarinou, Jim Marous, Paolo Sironi, and Richard Turrin to deliver a multi-perspective global look at banking.
How tech can standardise 55% of your Gateway 2 submissions
With building control approvals at a record high, platforms like Procore can help teams standardise and automate some of the most onerous tasks in the Gateway 2 submissions. Brett King explains how. (Image: Andrew Howson via Dreamstime.com) Gateway 2 is fast becoming one of the most painful pinch points in UK construction.
Smarter Lending: Expanding Credit Access and Improving Risk Decisioning at Scale
In This Episode This week on Breaking Banks, join us as we explore how real-time data is helping lenders understand financial behaviors beyond traditional credit scores, as Plaid, the largest financial data network, and Experian, a leading data technology company join forces via their new partnership.
Los Angeles Is Burning Again - But This Isn’t Just a Protest
What’s happening in LA right now is bigger than a demonstration. It’s a battle over who gets to define America. If you’ve been watching the news (or TikTok), you’ve probably seen the marches, the blockades, and the community mobilizations taking over Los Angeles. Some are calling it chaos. Others are calling it resistance. But either way, the mass demonstrations of June 2025 are shaping up to be one of the most significant political flashpoints in decades. This isn’t just about immigration.
Willy, the Poor Boys, and the New Revolution: How CCR’s Spirit Lives On in the Age of TikTok
Music has always been an important part of my life. As a clubber in the 90s/00s listening to progressive house sets from Sasha and Digweed. As a home listener digging through funk, soul, disco — anything and erverything. I LOVE music from any different genres. And yes, I like a little Katy Perry Fireworks too. For this, I thank you Spotify. Recently, I find myself in the 60/70s era a lot. One band I keep coming back to are Credence Clearwater Revival.
Africa’s Fintech Revolution: Mobile Money, Soft POS, and the Next Billion
In This Episode This week’s episode of Breaking Banks brings you insights from Cape Town, South Africa, and the Circle of Fintech event hosted by Crossfin. Africa accounts for a remarkable 70% of mobile money accounts globally, and over the past decade, fintech and mobile money have brought 1.1 billion Sub-Saharan Africans into the formal financial services system..
UK Investment Hubs & The Rise of Collaborative Fintech
In This Episode This week on Breaking Banks host Brett King is joined by Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman of the City of London Corporation. As Political Leader of the City of London Corporation, Chris acts as a principal spokesperson and advocate for London as a global financial and professional services capital. In the segment, Brett and Chris discuss The impact to date of the Trump presidency on the UK financial services sector.
The Future Of Money & Machine Identity
In This Episode This week’s episode of Breaking Banks features host Brett King in a one-on-one discussion with Dave Birch, speaker, author and internationally recognized thought leader in digital identity and digital money. Listen as they explore the future of AI-based payments, money, and the concepts surrounding Agentic AI.
'Minnesota nice' isn’t so nice when you can’t find a place to live • Minnesota Reformer
Minnesota has a shortage of affordable housing, forcing people having to live in encampments and cars and on borrowed couches. According to the Wilder Foundation, Indigenous people make up 20% of the homeless population — but just 2% of the state’s population. I am an enrolled band member with the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, and I can relate to how my relatives may feel living within encampments. I was raised by a single mother, and we struggled to find affordable housing.
What The Future Looks Like in Finance and Fintech: Jo Ann Barefoot, Nick Hughes and Brett King Live From Virgin Unite
In This Episode In a rare and inspiring crossover episode, Breaking Banks teams up with Barefoot Innovation to bring you a special dispatch from Necker Island, BVI. Hosted by Brett King and Jo Ann Barefoot, this episode captures the energy and insight of a one-of-a-kind fintech gathering organized by Virgin Unite: an event bringing together innovators from around the world, from a cross section of industry, exploring what the future of finance could (and should) look like.
Maximizing light efficiency in high-speed confocal line-scanning imagers
Imaging the living human eye requires high-speed and light-capture efficiency of photons returning from the eye to increase the signal-to-noise ratio while minimizing light exposure. Here, we report the optical design of a high-speed en face imaging approach applied to a line-scanning laser ophthalmoscope with extremely high optical efficiency.
Fintech Podcast Mashup: Breaking Banks x Fintech Daydreaming
This week on Breaking Banks, it’s a powerhouse podcast mashup you won’t want to miss. What happens when two leading voices in fintech join forces? You get a fast-paced, insight-packed conversation on the future of finance, banking innovation, and emerging technologies—recorded live in Finland. Breaking Banks host Brett King teams up with Pål Krogdahl and Ville Sointu, hosts of the Nordics’ #1 fintech podcast Fintech Daydreaming, for a high-level exploration of where the industry is headed next.
Chat: General Political Thoughts on Tariffs and Made in America
The Impact of Trump’s Tariff Policies on American Workers: A 25-Year Economic Shift Since his first term in office, former President Donald Trump has pushed an aggressive trade policy built around tariffs, reshoring manufacturing, and cutting U.S. dependence on foreign imports. The idea? Bring jobs back to America, protect industries, and reduce the trade deficit. But while these policies sound good in theory, the reality for working-class Americans is a mixed bag.
Le Ch
Hypothetical Vision of the U.S. in 2050 Under Continued Project 2025 Trends Economic Landscape Extreme Wealth Disparity: By 2050, the economic divide has reached unprecedented levels. The ultra-wealthy control a disproportionate share of the nation’s resources, while the middle and lower classes struggle with economic stagnation and poverty.
Deep USAI’ 2045 Vision
Brett King · Subscribe 4 min read · Mar 10, 2025 -- Overview By 2045, the United States finds itself entrenched in a deepened version of the societal, political, and economic structures established in the preceding decades. The conservative policies advanced under a GOP-dominated government have solidified, leaving a stark imprint on American life. The consequences of polarized governance, economic disparity, and cultural conflict provide a complex backdrop as the nation navigates its future.
Constant Perplexity 2040 USA
Brett King · Follow 5 min read · Mar 10, 2025 -- If the political, social, and economic trends outlined in Project 2025 and the broader GOP agenda were to continue for 15 years, the United States would likely undergo a profound transformation. This hypothetical future envisions a country where conservative governance dominates every aspect of society, with far-reaching consequences for democracy, culture, and daily life.
Deep USAI’s Imagination
Brett King · Follow 4 min read · -- Overview In 2030, the United States reflects a society significantly shaped by the Republican Party under Donald Trump’s influence and the principles articulated through initiatives like Project 2025. This vision depicts a nation grappling with both the consequences and legacies of concentrated conservative governance, with far-reaching implications for its citizens in terms of political life, social dynamics, economic realities, and environmental challenges.
Constant Perplexity Imagines
Brett King · Follow 2 min read · -- A hypothetical vision of the US under Project 2025’s approach could result in a significantly transformed nation: The federal government would undergo a dramatic restructuring, with executive power greatly expanded 1.
Chat General Political Thoughts: The US Path Forward
Brett King · Follow 4 min read · -- The Future of the United States as a Society Under Project 2025 and GOP Governance The trajectory set by President Donald Trump’s second term, in alignment with the broader Republican agenda, will fundamentally reshape American society over the next decade.
Digital Banks and Founders Changing the World of Banking: bunq
In This Episode This week we introduce you to a series profiling the digital banks and founders that are changing the world of banking. Focused on first hand accounts from founders all over the globe, the series chronicles the NeoBanking movement from the early days though to today, documenting the players building a new category of digital banking, reshaping the digital movement.
Will 2025 Be A Stellar Year? Top Banking and Fintech Predictions
In This Episode 2024 is a wrap! Listen as industry leaders and fintech influencers share insights on the year that was before turning the lens forward to 2025. What will be hot in this new year? Back by popular demand, Breaking Banks hosts Brett King and JP Nicols assemble banking industry leaders and fintech influencers to get their takes and predictions on what 2025 has in store for the banking industry.
Varo Bank's Vision for Financial Inclusion
This week, host Brett King sits down with Colin Walsh, Founder and CEO of Varo Bank, to explore the journey of building the first all-digital, FDIC-insured de novo bank in U.S. history. Designed to improve financial health and serve a diverse range of customers—from those with financial abundance to those facing economic hardship—Varo Bank is on a mission to create a banking experience that truly works for everyone.
Is Decentralized AI possible? - Provoke.fm Media
In this week’s show Bestselling Author Michael J Casey, the chairman of DAIS (Decentralized AI Society), senior advisor on MIT Media Lab’s Digital Currency initiative, and previous Chair of Consensus at CoinDesk, joins Brett to talk the reality of decentralized and open source AI. The intersection of DeFi and DeAI appears to be a logical path if not for the hundreds of billions being invested in big tech efforts to create AGI.
How AI-Driven Transformation of Global Financial Services will Likely Unfold
Let’s start with some home truths. The largest Banks of the world are not yet guaranteed to be participants in the next-generation financial services infrastructure of the future. Much of our banking infrastructure is still firmly stuck in the 20th century built on ideas of banking from much earlier eras.
The Fastest Wallet to Eclipse 1 Million Customers Globally - Built in Saudi Arabia
barq, the latest wallet and challenger bank to launch in Saudi Arabia, has reached a significant milestone by surpassing 1 million wallet users and account holders within just 21 days of operation. This remarkable achievement positions barq as the fastest-growing private wallet globally, outside of China. For context, it took Revolut a year to reach 100,000 users, while NuBank and CashApp each gained 10,000 users in their first month.
Mastercard's Start Path Insights
In This Episode Opening doors to high-potential fintech startups that share a mission to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible has been a goal of Mastercard’s with the founding of Start Path in 2014. Since its inception the program has helped over 430 startups in 57 countries.
Cashlessness is the World's Economic Destiny
The U.S. is behind many other countries but it's very much in the race towards a cashless society. Digital payments will eventually dominate the mix, says futurist Brett King, as traditional currency and payments gradually fade away. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print “He had his cash money, but you couldn’t pay for food with that.
Episode 537: Socially Responsible Credit & Social Currency
In This Episode Giving credit when credit is due is always appreciated and a good thing to do. In this case, it is also a solid base for a fintech, one that is socially responsible and financially inclusive. Meet Kashable’s Co-Founder and CEO, Einat Steklov, as she speaks with host Brett King about Kashable making its mark in financial services with low cost loans for employees, those with low or no credit scores.
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