At the latest edition of Fintech Americas 2026, Julián Colombo, CEO and founder of N5, shared a compelling perspective on how artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved from a lab concept into a real engine driving the financial industry.
What was discussed?
The conversation focused on N5’s evolution over the past year and the structural challenges faced by traditional banks. Colombo explained that, while technology continues to advance, institutions with decades of history carry a form of “technological entropy” that hinders innovation. The core of the discussion revolved around solutions that allow these institutions to modernize without ignoring their legacy.
1. Ouija: Bridging the Past and the Future
One of the most notable announcements was Ouija, an AI solution specifically designed to connect with legacy systems from the 70s and 80s.
- Why the name? Because it enables communication with the bank’s “technological ancestors.”
- The problem: Large banks can have up to 70,000 active software systems, creating a “swamp-like” environment for innovation.
- The solution: Ouija allows modern technology to be deployed while leveraging historical data, without being constrained by rigid legacy systems.
2. Probabilistic vs. Deterministic AI
Colombo emphasized that banking cannot afford AI “hallucinations” (which average around a 2% error rate).
To prevent costly mistakes in transfers or sensitive data, N5 combines probabilistic models (predictions) with deterministic logic (where 2+2 always equals 4).
They implement a redundancy system: multiple AI models are consulted simultaneously to validate outputs before executing any action.
3. The Corporate Banking Revolution
Historically, corporate banking has been treated as an extension of retail banking—often with suboptimal solutions.
N5 has launched one of the world’s first fully AI-powered corporate banking platforms.
Unlike individuals, companies are highly diverse; AI finally enables software to understand and serve that diversity in a personalized way.
4. From Lab to Production
2025 marked a turning point: AI investment has grown 2.3x. This is no longer about isolated experiments, but about technology serving hundreds of thousands of clients in real time.
The interview makes one thing clear: successful digital transformation is not about erasing the past, but integrating it intelligently. With tools like Ouija and a strong focus on data accuracy, N5 is redefining how even the most traditional financial institutions can compete in the AI era.
🎥 Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/IqHy7MX3W6I
