PLYMOUTH, MI (April 28, 2025) |
Community Financial Credit Union (Community Financial) a 14- branch and growing Michigan-based credit union helping moms, teachers, students and members find belonging and financial family, is proud to announce the successful implementation of Private AI in collaboration with Zylon, a leader in secure, on-premise AI solutions. This technology emphasizes Community Financial’s leadership in responsible innovation, setting a new standard for privacy-focused AI applications in the financial industry.
“Igniting Michiganders’ Impossible Dreams is our purpose, and integrating Private AI has presented us a unique opportunity to further our impact,” said Jon Burkey, Community Financial’s manager/information security. “Whether it’s strengthening our data privacy, augmenting our team members’ workflows, or providing our membership an enhanced experience, this technology has allowed us to advance quickly and securely, keeping member information protected without relying on external systems."
Private AI ensures that Community Financial retains complete control over its information, mitigating privacy concerns and regulatory challenges. Additionally, by hosting and managing its own AI infrastructure, Community Financial eliminates unpredictable per-usage costs associated with external AI providers, ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
As part of its ongoing digital transformation, Community Financial has begun its AI rollout to executive, IT, and leadership teams, with plans to expand usage across the organization. This initiative enables Community Financial employees to leverage AI-powered insights securely, enhancing productivity while safeguarding sensitive member data.
“At Community Financial, our members are at the heart of everything we do. Partnering with Zylon allows us to bring them smarter, more secure banking, as privacy is paramount,” said Tansley Stearns, president and ceo of Community Financial. “This technology isn’t just about innovation, it’s about giving our members peace of mind, knowing their financial future is protected.”
The Benefits of Private AI for Community Financial and Its Members
Community Financial’s implementation of Private AI addresses key strategic priorities, including:
- Data Privacy & Security – As a financial institution, protecting member data is paramount. With Private AI, Community Financial ensures that all AI-powered interactions remain secure, confidential, and fully under its control.
- Cost Control – By running AI on-premise, Community Financial eliminates variable costs associated with cloud-based AI services, providing greater budget stability. ● Technological Independence – Unlike vendor-locked AI solutions, Private AI gives
Community Financial full control over its AI strategy, allowing for customization and flexibility in model deployment.
- Sustainability – By leveraging Small Language Models (SLMs), which require significantly less energy than large-scale AI models, Community Financial reinforces its commitment to sustainability and responsible innovation.
Beyond being a private ChatGPT alternative, Community Financial's AI implementation connects securely to internal knowledge bases, enabling employees to retrieve critical information faster and more accurately. This means improved efficiency for knowledge workers and better experiences for Community Financial members.
Looking ahead, Community Financial plans to train its workforce on AI adoption strategies and explore additional high-value applications, including the development of custom, private AI agents using Zylon’s platform.