AmFirst Federal Credit Union is using Saris, an agentic workflow platform for banks and credit unions, to automate indirect auto loan document checks. The $2.7 billion-asset Alabama lender turned to Saris after record indirect lending volumes strained its funding team. Saris AI agents cross-check loan documents and system records against AmFirst's policies and flag exceptions for staff to review. Employees keep final say on every funding decision. AmFirst's fastest funder now processes a deal in about four minutes. She funded 50 loans in four hours, beating her previous best full-day total of 45. AmFirst aims to fund loans within 60-90 minutes of receiving a deal, to win more dealer business without adding staff. "Growing our indirect lending business cannot mean adding another funder every time volume spikes," said Patrick Wiginton, director of lending services at AmFirst.

Credit unions get a smart New sidekick: CCUA partners with Saris AI to automate the boring stuff. If you've ever worked in a credit union's back office, you know the drill. Mountains of paperwork. Endless compliance checks. Tasks that make you wonder if there's a better use of your time (spoiler: there definitely is). Well, the Cooperative Credit Union Association just dropped some news that might make those repetitive workflows a whole lot less painful. The CCUA has partnered with Saris AI, a workflow automation platform that's basically like having a really efficient digital assistant who never needs coffee breaks. The partnership brings AI-powered automation to nearly 200 credit unions across Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island - and no, this isn't about replacing people with robots. What is this thing? Saris AI tackles the stuff nobody enjoys doing: complex, multi-step workflows in lending, compliance, and back-office operations. Think of it as the difference between manually copying data between systems for hours versus having that happen automatically while you focus on actually helping members. The platform plugs into the systems credit unions already use - core platforms, loan origination systems, document repositories, you name it. It automates the tedious parts while keeping humans in the driver's seat for important decisions. Because let's be real, nobody wants a robot making critical calls without oversight. Why credit unions are paying attention. "Credit unions are continually looking for innovative ways to improve operational efficiency while maintaining the high level of service their members expect," says Melissa Pomeroy, Executive Vice President and COO of the CCUA. "Saris AI offers a practical approach to workflow automation that complements existing operations, helping eliminate repetitive manual processes so employees can dedicate more time to strategic initiatives and member relationships." Translation: less time wrestling with spreadsheets, more time building actual relationships with members. That's the dream, right? The results are pretty impressive. Credit unions already using Saris AI are seeing real improvements: * Up to 70% of manual lending tasks now run on autopilot * Operational costs down by as much as 35% * Tasks that used to take hours now wrap up in minutes Those aren't just nice-to-have improvements. That's the kind of efficiency gain that lets smaller institutions compete with the big players without burning out their teams. AI that won't break the bank. Here's where things get interesting. While AI costs are skyrocketing across the industry and many solutions require expensive engineering teams to manage, Saris AI takes a different approach. "At a time when AI costs are rising and the technology landscape is becoming increasingly complex, credit unions shouldn't have to choose between innovation and affordability," explains Danial Jameel, Founder and CEO of Saris Inc. "Saris AI delivers enterprise grade AI capabilities and governance, allowing credit unions to focus on business outcomes instead of managing expensive engineering teams or AI token costs." In other words, credit unions get the same caliber of AI technology that major banks and tech companies are using, without needing to hire a small army of data scientists to keep it running. What happens next. As part of the partnership, Saris AI will show up at CCUA conferences and events, sponsor Association initiatives, and work directly with member credit unions throughout the region. The goal? Help organizations figure out how automation can make their operations smoother while keeping security, compliance, and member service exactly where they should be - at the top of the priority list. The bottom line: if your credit union has been drowning in manual processes and wondering when technology would actually make life easier instead of more complicated, this partnership might be worth a closer look. Because the future of work isn't about replacing people - it's about freeing them up to do the work that actually matters.