In this special summer edition of the Asset Finance Connect European Equipment Finance Podcast, sponsored by Alfa, Richard O’Donohue revisits standout conversations on how AI is reshaping the European asset finance industry in 2025 and beyond. From practical operational tools to entire AI-driven executive teams, and from cultural adoption challenges to the opportunities AI creates for women and empathetic leaders, this episode explores the real-world potential - and limits - of artificial intelligence in business. Featuring insights from Richard Huston (VAMOS), Allegra Patrizi (Claridora AI), Emily Hammond (Alfa), John Murray (Alfa), and Carmen Ene (BNP Paribas 3-Step IT).

Richard Huston is the MD of VAMOS. VAMOS focuses on applied AI, helping businesses integrate AI for efficiency and decision-making.

Richard Huston addresses AI hype vs. reality, emphasising that AI is a tool, not a replacement for human expertise. Key applications include automating customer communications and reducing administrative workload but while still ensuring human oversight, so reducing time rather than replacing the human element.

Concerns around AI hallucinations are discussed including retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and AI’s job impact is framed as augmentation, not elimination. He also discusses AI’s environmental footprint, arguing its benefits outweigh costs.

The episode highlights AI’s increasing accessibility, with open-source models like DeepSeek lowering costs. Richard Huston encourages experimenting with AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT.

In this episode of the AFC European Equipment Finance Podcast, sponsored by Alfa, host Richard O’Donohue talks with Arnaldo Rodriguez, President of CSI Leasing Inc., and Simi Thapar, Chief Country Officer, India. They discuss CSI’s global expansion into 50+ markets, the huge potential of India’s leasing sector, the growing importance of sustainability and IT asset disposition (ITAD), and how CSI’s entrepreneurial culture is shaping the future of equipment finance.