As a millennial, Stefany Bello learned how to manage money through family conversations and a lot of real‑life trial and error. But she’s well aware that such slow, traditional methods do not resonate with today’s younger generations. “Gen Z are used to immediacy for all their wants and needs — any time, any place, any device,” she says. “They want learning that’s quick, interactive and meets them on their phones.”

Bello should know. Part of her job as a Mastercard senior vice president is to collaborate with partners to help people from different backgrounds learn about finances in ways that make the most sense to them.

This is one reason why Mastercard works with MoneyLion, a fintech company whose financial app and website provides tools and education to fill the gaps between generational divides so everyone can manage their money effectively.

Distinctions between generations are numerous and nuanced. “Gen Z trusts influencers, TikTok and social media when older generations don’t even use apps,” says Jeff Bartlett, MoneyLion’s head of content and brand performance. And technology usage varies according to age. For instance, a millennial like Bello might prefer different tools than a recent Gen Z college grad who grew up with a smartphone in her hand.

The trick MoneyLion and Mastercard must pull off is to find a way to meet millennials and Gen Z — as well as Gen X and baby boomers — where they are and share useful information in ways they all can understand.

That can take the form of short-form videos and games for Gen Z, interactive tools that center on home-buying and wealth-building for millennials, podcasts and articles with deeper contextual guidance about retirement for Gen X or detailed explainers of inheritance law for boomers.

Bello, who focuses on partnership with fintechs and enablers in North America, is also aware of how people’s relationship to their financial institutions can change over time. In the past, people of Bello age’s — and certainly their parents and grandparents — might have turned to a personal banker to answer questions about finances and planning. But in recent years, people of all ages have been increasingly turning to online banking, which has made previously paper-heavy and complicated financial moves like switching banks far more simple. The problem is, while banking via a phone or computer is more convenient, it makes it harder to get reliable advice that feels personal.

To that end, Bartlett says, MoneyLion has spent the past decade thinking about how to customize its user experience for people at different stages in their financial lives. For this task, AI has been invaluable. In the past, MoneyLion might have offered users a questionnaire about their experience and their needs, which most customers might not bother to complete. But now AI can crunch clicks to discover which pieces of content resonate with different groups, which helps product and website designers target users directly based on their particular needs, which are often — but not always — tied to age.