The challenge facing this year’s ATOM Pink Tank cohort asked students to explore “The Future of Work in AI-Transformed Banking: Generational Perspectives on Career Evolution.”
Working in teams, students researched the issue, organized and presented a data-driven analysis, and proposed solutions for both individuals and organizations. Representatives from BankUnited, which sponsors the program, served as judges and mentors.
One team focused on AI hallucinations — incorrect or fabricated responses that appear plausible — a growing concern that contributed to an estimated $67 billion in business losses worldwide in 2024.
The concern became the centerpiece of an award-winning project during the ATOM Pink Tank finals. Team 305° C and its AI Reliability Overlay System (AROS) platform took first place and the $5,000 prize.
“As a group, we were looking for ideas, and AI hallucinations addressed prompts relevant to BankUnited and FIU,” said Valeria Rodriguez Zenzola, a team member majoring in marketing and business data analytics. “I knew we had a strong team — we all bring something different. Getting the point across was so valuable.”
AROS consists of a verification engine, confidence analyzer, fact-checker and risk-scoring algorithm that measures the time individuals spend performing tasks. A dashboard tracks AI hallucinations and identifies where additional data can be found to obtain accurate information.
Now in its sixth year, ATOM Pink Tank was created to help women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) build leadership skills through a six-month program. This marked the first-year male students were invited to participate.
Final presentations were held April 10. This cohort’s topics were highly relevant, with a strong focus on metrics and measurable outcomes that reinforced the project’s real-world application.
The second-place prize went to Team B, “The AI Mask,” for a project centered on what students described as “the new entry level reality: AI handles the do; humans handle the why.”
Their Baseline platform assesses human judgment across six categories that AI cannot replace, providing a roadmap of a candidate’s strengths and areas for improvement. Managers can use the responses to identify the best candidates.
For competitor Angelica Bravo, the collaboration among students and mentors was key.
“If it weren’t for everyone coming together, it wouldn’t have been the same. It was fun — even with a lot of late nights,” she said, adding that the mentor provided support both professionally and personally, becoming a role model.
Funded by BankUnited through its iCARE™ program, ATOM Pink Tank provides students with hands-on learning, industry insights and networking opportunities for career development. With the support of their mentors, participants engage directly with real-world challenges while building professional connections.
“It adds value to our individual partners and generates a new generation of leaders that was mentored by some of the best leaders I’ve met in my career,” said Karlene C. Cousins, chair of the Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics.
The first-place team members who took home the grand prize included Terrance Kearse, Valeria Rodriguez Zanzola, Athira Sajeev, Rithanya Sekar and Quoc Vo. The second-place team included Maggie Casasnovas, Sara Lizarazu Fernandez and Angelica Bravo.
