CTO Insights Series | Part 3 of 3
By Donald Wichern, Co-Founder & CTO, mysherpas Making AI
AI is everywhere in lending conversations. But too often, it’s presented as an all-knowing oracle. A mysterious black box that promises answers without showing the work. For lenders, that’s not just unhelpful, it’s a risk.
At mysherpas, we see AI differently. It should act like a trusted teammate:
- Transparent surfacing the “why” behind a recommendation, not just the result.
- Contextual tuned to your workflows, policies, and risk appetite, not generic one-size-fits-all models.
- Integrated aligned with existing processes so teams don’t have to re-engineer their day-to-day.
- Collaboratively augmenting staff with a second set of eyes, rather than replacing human judgment.
The MIT researchers concluded that organizations partnering with external providers — and demanding process-specific customization tied to business outcomes — see double the success rates compared to those trying to build in isolation. That’s exactly our ethos: AI that embeds into workflows, improves over time, and clears the path for lenders to focus on relationships and growth.
Making AI practical isn’t about chasing headlines. It’s about designing trust, transparency, and outcomes into every decision.
The Reality Check: What the Numbers Say
95% of organizations report no ROI on their GenAI investments, despite $30–40B spent. Source: MIT “GenAI Divide: State of AI in Business 2025”
57% of small businesses cite reaching customers/growing sales as their top operational challenge (up from 53%). Source: 2025 Fed Report on Employer Firms
75% report rising costs, while more than half struggle with uneven cash flow and operating expenses. Source: 2025 Fed Report on Employer Firms
41% of financing applicants didn’t receive the full amount they sought with denials tied increasingly to existing debt loads (up from 22% in 2021). Source: 2025 Fed Report on Employer Firms
Your trusted guide,
Don Wichern
Co-Founder & Tech Sherpa (CTO), mysherpas