Cultivate AI™ Platform Launches to Give Credit Unions Peace of Mind While Advancing in AI

DURHAM, N.C., Oct. 15, 2026 — Cultivate AI, the collaborative AI platform built specifically for the credit union industry, is officially available beginning today to all credit unions and CUSOs. Built on a foundation of trust, transparency, and member privacy, the Cultivate AI™ platform gives credit union teams a way to safely incorporate AI so employees’ time is freed up to better serve members.

For most credit union executives, AI has brought as much uncertainty as opportunity. New tools arrive weekly, vendors make bold promises, and the questions about data security, accuracy, and regulatory risk rarely get answered. The Cultivate AI platform was launched to replace that uncertainty with the clarity and confidence that has always come from the industry’s hallmark: collaboration. The Cultivate AI platform reflects the movement growing an AI tool together, shaped by credit union employees, and built around the safeguards credit union leaders need.

The Cultivate AI concept originated with Vertice AI, a fast-growing FinTech focused on the industry, which partnered with Vizo Financial and Filene to ensure the solution would be built by credit unions rather than sold to them. “Our research keeps showing the same thing: innovative growth minded credit unions want to embrace AI, but not at the expense of trust,” said Mark Meyer, CEO of Filene Research Institute. “Vertice recognized that gap early and we joined them to ensure the answers would be trusted and the roadmap would belong to the movement.”

Early beta testers have been enthusiastic in their praise of the Cultivate AI platform. “We knew we needed something that would make our employees’ lives easier and our members’ lives better. We needed something to spread knowledge easily and make it readily available to our team. We knew AI was overwhelming and opening it up to our staff was a large risk. There were many companies trying to sell us many AI tools. Our mission of service was the constant and we need partners with that same focus. We learned that Cultivate is our answer!” said Christina Naylor, COO of Carolina Trust Federal Credit Union.

The three founding partners first shared their vision for the Cultivate AI platform publicly in March at America’s Credit Unions’ Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC). Since then, users are already counting on Cultivate AI tools. “My CEO is working on a program with other small credit unions to serve some of our underserved communities,” said Kassie Mixon of Evergreen Credit Union. “He needed a quick recap of what is required to open an account. Cultivate gave me the exact response I would’ve spent longer typing out and it wouldn’t have been this detailed. This was perfect.” Among other popular use cases:

• Navigating regulatory guidance. Staff sort through NCUA letters, rules, and guidance in minutes rather than hours.
• Strengthening internal policies. Teams review, compare, and improve policies with a knowledgeable assistant at their side.
• Planning with peer data. Leaders use peer 5300 Call Report data to benchmark performance and build sharper strategic plans.

“Credit union leaders don’t need more AI hype, they need peace of mind,” said Fred Eisel, President and CEO of Vizo Financial Corporate Credit Union. “They need confidence that the technology they adopt is practical, responsible and built around their needs. When the opportunity to create Cultivate AI was presented, we saw a chance to help credit unions navigate a rapidly changing landscape through a solution built within the cooperative system, with accountability to the credit unions it serves. By bringing industry expertise together to address real operational challenges, we can help credit unions work more efficiently, make better informed decisions and give credit union employees more time to focus on members. That’s what being a strategic operating partner is all about: helping credit unions strengthen performance today while preparing for what’s next.”

The Cultivate AI™ platform is available now to all credit unions and CUSOs. To learn more or get started, visit www.getcultivate.ai.

About Cultivate AI™

The Cultivate AI™ platform is a collaborative AI tool built for the credit union movement. It helps credit union and CUSO employees save time on regulatory research, policy work, and strategic planning so they can focus on serving members. Cultivate AI tools give the industry the AI it needs.

About Vizo Financial Corporate Credit Union

Vizo Financial Corporate Credit Union is a strategic operating partner for credit unions, providing operational expertise, intelligence-driven solutions, accessible education and practical innovation. Through an integrated ecosystem of strategic partners, powerful technologies and core operating solutions, Vizo Financial helps credit unions strengthen performance, manage risk, build resilience and prepare for the future of financial services. Discover more at www.vfccu.org.

About Filene Research Institute

Filene Research Institute strengthens organizations through innovative research and incubation to improve consumer financial well-being. As an independent cooperative finance think tank, Filene’s membership network connects a community of leaders and bright minds to change lives through innovation, truth, and cooperation. In addition to delivering cutting-edge, actionable academic research, Filene also provides incubators to test and scale solutions, events to spark organizations into action, and advisory services to help accelerate and implement innovation. For more information, visit filene.org and follow Filene on LinkedIn and Instagram.

About Vertice AI

Vertice AI is a member growth platform purpose-built for credit unions. Using predictive AI and behavioral data, Vertice helps credit unions identify their best growth opportunities and act on them, driving measurable results in loan and deposit campaigns. Vertice AI originated the Cultivate AI platform and partnered with Vizo Financial and Filene to bring secure, collaborative AI to the entire credit union movement. Learn more at verticeanalytics.ai.

Cultivate AI is a trademark of Cultivate AI CUSO, LLC.

Media Contact

Phillip Autrey
Chief Engagement Officer, Cultivate AI
phillip@getcultivate.ai