ABOUT THIS EPISODE
This episode of MY Interface Podcast features an in-depth conversation with Kristina Fan, the co-founder and CEO of 7 Chord, exploring the high-stakes world of financial technology and how AI is revolutionizing market data pricing.
Traditional taxi meters charge a fixed rate per mile, but Uber uses dynamic pricing based on weather, demand, and car availability . Kristina Fan explains how her firm, 7 Chord, applies this same concept to the complex world of fixed-income markets through their flagship product, Bondroid AI .
While many are familiar with "pre-trained" AI like ChatGPT, the financial world requires models that can adapt to "regime changes" and sudden global events—like earthquakes or political shifts—on a moment's notice . This episode dives into the necessity of real-time adaptability and the ethics of using historical data to predict the future .
What You Will Learn
The Startup "Swiss Knife": Why founders must be able to wear many hats, from product design to customer acquisition, transitioning from the narrow roles of large organizations like BlackRock and JP Morgan .
Bondroid AI Explained: How a dynamic pricing engine empowers institutional traders with accurate prices for thousands of financial instruments .
AI’s Biggest Danger: Understanding that AI primarily sees patterns in existing data and lacks the "smarts" to make independent, unusual decisions, which can lead to bias in lending or university admissions .
Foundational Education: Why Kristina advises students to study physics and math to learn how to think, rather than just chasing a specific career path .
Entrepreneurship as a Human Right: A unique perspective from a founder born in the former USSR, where owning a business was prohibited and starting a company is seen as a foundational way to self-express .
Chapters
00:07 Introduction to the Interface Podcast and its mission .
01:21 Guest Introduction: Kristina Fan of 7 Chord .
02:35 The Career Pivot: Wall Street to the startup world .
04:00 Dynamic Pricing: The "Uber analogy" for financial instruments .
05:56 Real-time Adaptability: Why finance needs different AI models than ChatGPT .
08:33 Use Cases: How traders use Bondroid AI feeds and software .
10:34 Ethics and Bias: The dangers of unregulated AI in decision-making .
12:15 Data Ownership: Corporate data vs. consumer-facing AI challenges .
13:32 Advice for Students: Why math and physics are the ultimate foundations .
14:55 The Freedom to Build: Reflections on life in the USSR vs. the USA .
16:00 Host Reflections: Key takeaways on innovation and adaptability .
Quotes from the Episode
"As a startup founder, you wear a lot of different hats... you sometimes should be kind of like a Swiss knife."
"Pricing of financial instruments is a bit more complex than pricing a cab ride... markets can really change on the moment notice."
"Build a solid foundation right now and don't skip the hard parts. Learn math, learn foundational subjects and then see where life takes you."
"The right to own property and the right to own a business... is very foundational human right and it should be cherished."
About the Hosts
Yvonne and Miya are high school sophomores on a mission to educate students and professionals on the impact of AI across multiple subject matters by providing insights from top experts.
Where to find Kristina Fan and 7Chord:
Kristina Fan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinafan
7Chord: https://www.7-chord.com/
Music credit: "Modern Situations" by Unicorn Heads
New episodes drop every Friday at 3:00 PM.
