CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — The country’s leading e-wallet and digital financial services platform is attending the Philippines’ premier international startup conference, Geeks On A Beach (GOAB), which will take place in Cebu from November 14 to 15, 2024.
GCash Chief Data Officer Sara Venturina will share her insights on the GCash approach to harnessing data and AI for financial inclusivity on the first day of GOAB, alongside other stalwarts of the tech and startup community in the country and the region.
Sara will also sit as one of the speakers on the panel on AI Governance along with DICT Undersecretary Jocelle Batapa-Sigue and Prof. Angela Daly of the University of Dundee, UK.
Co-organized by the British Embassy in Manila, this panel will explore the meaning of safe and responsible AI and key considerations for startups, organizations, and government agencies in developing AI governance frameworks.
GCash’s FinTech journey
“FinTech companies like GCash use AI to drive convenience, financial inclusion, and economic growth. It powers new products, expands customer opportunities, and enhances protection,” said Sara.
Sara explained that pioneering data initiatives and transformative growth have marked GCash’s journey.
Between 2015 and 2019, GCash established Mynt, GXI, and Fuse, secured strategic investments from Ant Financial and Ayala, launched Pay QR to redefine cashless transactions, and developed GScore, a proprietary trust score for lending.
From 2020 to 2024, GCash achieved unicorn and duacorn valuations, closed funding rounds with major investors, and upgraded its platform to improve scalability and security. GCash institutionalized data practices and promoted ethical AI use during this period through its “Good Data for Good” charter.
“Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, GCash is committed to providing financial access and empowering Filipinos to achieve greater financial progress,” said Sara.
GCash’s new AI-enhanced features
GCash recently introduced several AI-driven features to enhance user experience and reshape the fintech landscape.
Among the key innovations is Online PaySafe, a security feature that uses multi-factor authentication to prevent scams and fraud. The upgraded AI-powered Gigi chatbot can handle user queries, perform security checks, recall past conversations, and seamlessly connect users to live agents.
GScore AI assesses users’ creditworthiness based on app usage, streamlining loan access without requiring additional documentation. Hyper-personalized ads deliver tailored shopping offers based on user behavior. At the same time, GCoach AI provides personalized financial advice on budgeting, saving, and spending.
Additionally, Send Money Protect, launched in partnership with Chubb, offers users insurance against transaction fraud.
“The wide range of cutting-edge features we recently launched are designed to transform the fintech space and improve the consumer experience. GCash hopes to build a future that is abundant and ethically data-driven, making Filipino lives better,” said Sara.
Recognizing women’s contributions in tech
“We are excited to hear GCash Chief Data Officer Sara Venturina share insights on responsible and ethical data and AI usage from the country’s premier e-wallet and digital financial services platform,” said Tina Amper, GOAB lead organizer.
“Venturina’s talk highlights the crucial contributions of women in the tech startup ecosystem, a force that many are only now beginning to recognize,” Tina said.
“GCash’s FinTech journey as told by Venturina will surely be of interest to the over 500 entrepreneurs, investors, and global tech leaders expected to attend the Geeks On A Beach conference in Cebu this November,” added Tina.
About Geeks On A Beach
Geeks On A Beach is a three-day global conference that brings together hundreds of entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, and renowned figures from the startup ecosystem to highlight the nation’s accomplishments in the startup arena, both locally and internationally.
This year’s GOAB will be held at JPark Island Resort Hotel in Mactan. It is organized by geeksPH in partnership with the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT).
To join Geeks On A Beach, purchase tickets at https://geeksonabeach.com or email hello@geeksonabeach.com. Discounted tickets are available for a limited period.
adobo Magazine is an official media partner of Geeks On A Beach.
