A new report by FinRegLab underscores the importance of continuing technology and data improvements to expand credit access among smaller, younger businesses. From Crisis to Opportunity: Financing for Underserved Small Businesses since COVID-19 analyzes recent lending trends, including initiatives focusing on underserved businesses, lender technology adoption, and the effect of high inflation and interest rates on both loan demand and supply.
This report delves into the evolving landscape of small business lending following the pandemic, identifying significant trends that are shaping the lending ecosystem. As the economy improves, lenders will face critical decisions about how to meet the capital needs of more small businesses, including record numbers of minority- and women-owned startups since 2020.
FinRegLab is launching a ground-breaking comparison of the financial inclusion benefits of using machine learning underwriting models with and without cash-flow data to increase responsible access to credit for consumers who may otherwise find it difficult to obtain safe and affordable loans.
FinRegLab announced that it is conducting new empirical research to evaluate the inclusion impact of machine learning credit models, including those built with bank account data as well as traditional credit report information. The organization has also been invited by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to co-chair a new Technology Working Group within the OCC’s Project REACh initiative.
FinRegLab hosted a webinar with senior federal financial regulators in January 2024 to discuss the growing use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in financial services, including credit underwriting.
Melissa Koide participated in a panel on artificial intelligence.
Speaking Engagements & Conferences
Artificial Intelligence in Financial Services: U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
finreglab.org
CEO Melissa Koide served as a witness on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 before the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs hearing on “Artificial Intelligence in Financial Services.” She shared learnings and insights from FinRegLab’s work on ML/AI, based on our research and policy and market dialogue regarding fairness, inclusion, and explainability in machine learning in credit underwriting.
FinRegLab is launching an initiative with support from the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) to improve credit access for minority-owned companies and other underserved small businesses through the use of non-traditional data sources and mission-based lenders.
A new research paper underscores the importance of evaluating whether the most vulnerable and distressed borrowers need longer term repayment plans soon after they first enroll in natural disaster or other emergency relief programs with credit card lenders.
FinRegLab has issued two papers that examine lenders’ ability to build, understand, and manage machine learning models to ensure that they can be trusted to underwrite applications for credit by millions of consumers and small businesses.