Insurance Firm Porto Seguro, Brighterion Team On Credit Risk Management

Instagram is adding a new feature to enable online shoppers to link to product drops through its app, Techcrunch reported on Wednesday (May 26).  Drops — a newer eCommerce trend and shopping feature — is a tab that opens a feed of products for sale that are thought to be trendy and wanted. The goal is to generate buzz for new merchandise that will only be available in limited supplies or for a short time period. Instagram Drops now have a specific spot on the Shop tab to enable users to find new and upcoming product launches. Shoppers also have the ability to sign up for merchandise reminders regarding sought-after products. Consumers also have the option of buying items in the app through Instagram’s checkout tool and avoid third-party apps. The model is intended to give Instagram the ability to collect fees on purchases, a move that is thought to be related to Apple’s privacy updates to iOS.    Instagram has waived selling fees as a way to help businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic get back on their feet. The move is also intended to combat rivals like TikTok. The new Drops feature aims to organize browsing in a single location while also making it easier to browse.  Drops available so far include Drake x NOCTA, Wren + Glory and Charlotte Tilbury. The number of drops and the variety of merchants will vary weekly as Instagram tests this new feature.  The new feature works only with mobile devices — iOS and Android — and is not available on the web. Instagram revamped its interface and options in November 2020 to include two new tabs to spotlight Shops and Reels. The Shop tab lets users see recommendations from creators and shop directly on the Instagram platform. Reels was launched to compete with TikTok and initially rolled out in Brazil, Germany and France.  Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said last month that Instagram creators could earn more revenue that includes a marketplace for coordinating brands and creators. 

Insurance company Porto Seguro is partnering with artificial intelligence (AI) technology firm Brighterion to manage credit risk and enhance customers’ experiences, the companies said in a press release Wednesday (May 26).

Brighterion, a Mastercard company, has AI solutions that help pinpoint credit risk earlier in the buying lifecycle. Porto Seguro is the first company based in Brazil that is using the AI as a credit risk solution, the release stated.

“We were able to use Porto Seguro’s analytical expertise and combine it with our AI technology to build high-performance models,” said Head of Brighterion and Senior Vice President at Mastercard Sudhir Jha in the release. “These AI models have enabled Porto Seguro to manage credit risk more effectively while improving the customer experience.”

Brighterion uses AI and machine learning (ML) to extend intelligence-based processes to determine the level of credit risk and transaction fraud in key customer applications, according to the release. Brighterion uses AI Express, which is a collaborative program, and a mix of proprietary tools that include its Smart Agents technology.

“This AI model could be run on transactions from any card network,” said Porto Seguro Executive Director Ricardo Kaoru Inada in the release. “Almost 50 percent of potential defaults were identified 70 days in advance in the pilot phase of the project, which helps us increase credit limits for our customers through a more assertive analysis.”

Founded in 1945 and with 14,000 employees, Porto Seguro is one of the biggest insurance companies in Brazil, operating through its subsidiaries in Brazil and Uruguay. The company offers car, residential, health, life and business insurance, with its consortium offering auto and homeowners, pension, savings bonds and other financial services.

U.S. consumer debt grew at its highest rate in over 10 years, reaching close to $15 trillion. A PYMNTS study in collaboration with Brighterion — AI In Focus: The Navigating Bank Credit Risk Playbook — showed that AI is quickly being used in the banking industry to ascertain credit risk. AI use has expanded threefold, with 79 percent of financial institutions with $100 billion-plus in assets making use of the technology.