a16z Live

How Jack Henry is Modernizing Banking Infrastructure

Episode Summary

Most financial institutions still bank on software built before the internet, but Jack Henry's CTO, Ben Metz, is leading a quiet revolution to change that. Speaking with a16z General Partner Angela Strange, Metz shares how banks’ historical tech infrastructure and regulatory obstacles have stymied innovation—and how Jack Henry is helping them overcome these challenges. Metz outlines actionable ways startup founders can help smaller community banks leverage artificial intelligence and cloud computing, reshaping the industry at large.

Episode Notes

Most financial institutions still bank on software built before the internet, but Jack Henry's CTO, Ben Metz, is leading a quiet revolution to change that. Speaking with a16z General Partner Angela Strange, Metz shares how banks’ historical tech infrastructure and regulatory obstacles have stymied innovation—and how Jack Henry is helping them overcome these challenges. Metz outlines actionable ways startup founders can help smaller community banks leverage artificial intelligence and cloud computing, reshaping the industry at large. 

Chapter Breakdown:

0:47   Backstory 
2:15   Community banks and historical infrastructure 
4:30   Pre-internet banking & software realities  
6:45   Challenges of scaling historical banking tech
8:30   Building software & COBOL
12:15 Dissecting core banking systems 
15:40 How regulatory hurdles impact innovation
18:30 Mobile banking and market shiftsT
22:45 Integrating AI into banking's foundation 
25:30 Digital service core to banking 
28:15 Where AI will be integrated first
31:20 Advice for fintech founders 
34:45 Building a data platform to enable innovation 
38:20 Working together: banking & tech startups