GCU students land internships in AI that track finances, promote ethics

Friends and fellow interns Matthew Edelson (left), Alex Fried and Kai Gesino gather to work in the office of Dr. Isac Artzis at GCU.

Three Grand Canyon University students are spending their summer building artificial intelligence tools through internships with ChainCurrent AI, a start-up company whose mission is to provide bias-free insights into cryptocurrency markets while rooted in biblical values.

Computer science majors Matthew Edelson, Kai Gesino and Alex Fried are using their classroom knowledge and campus connections to help start a new AI platform that will track crypto market trends and encourage financial stewardship with integrity.

"When we reached out to Dr. Isac Artzi this spring, we could never have predicted how powerfully aligned GCU’s mission would be with our own," said Stephen Markey, founder and chief executive officer of ChainCurrent AI, who leads the team in developing VeraTron AI, a crypto analytics platform that tracks purchases and changes in volume and frames the crypto trading in a gamified quest with a point system. “We’re translating data into decisions. Our platform clears the fog so users can act with confidence.”

The company’s website, still under development, will feature Bible verses related to money and encouraging messages to promote ethical financial decisions. “The goal isn’t just to build another fintech platform. It’s to build the right kind of platform,” he said.

Matthew Edelson works on translating real-world data into crypto currency learning tools for ChainCurrent AI.

Edelson, a senior studying computer science with a minor in sports and entertainment management, credits his upbringing for his view on money.

“My grandparents and my mom always gave generously. They taught me that money should be used to bless others. That mindset really aligns with what ChainCurrent is trying to do,” Edelson said.

Edelson's role focuses on building models to identify promising cryptocurrencies.

“I’ve been working on the data pipeline, creating models for the website to help educate people about crypto,” Edelson said. “A year ago, I didn’t know how to build this. But classes at GCU, especially with (associate professor) Dr. Isac Artzi, helped me get here.”

He also sees a strong connection between data science and his goal of working in sports analytics. “In baseball, everything is numbers. You use models to project player performance. Even though I’m working in crypto now, the skills are transferable.”

Fried, a senior in computer science, joined the internship as the AI accessibility lead. He brings a visionary approach to inclusive design.  

“I’ll be contributing to both back-end development and early product design, helping build tools that blend machine learning with financial literacy,” he said.

Alex Fried works on the website design for ChainCurrent AI.

Fried discovered his love for coding in high school in a programming class. At GCU, he has continued to explore tech potential through projects such as a virtual reality job training tool for Lopes Academy students, who have learning differences.

That project gave Fried a deeper appreciation for inclusive design, which he now brings to ChainCurrent’s mission.

“What I love about this company is that we’re not just building a product, we’re trying to do it in a way that reflects our values,” he said

Gesino is Edelson's childhood friend and a junior computer science major with a love for sports analytics at ChainCurrentAI.

“We’re creating AI prompts for different question types,” Gesino said. “It’s really exciting to see how this could eventually be integrated into GCU’s systems.”

For all three, working on both projects alongside friends has been a major benefit.

Kai Gesino works behind the scenes on the back end of the system for ChainCurrent AI.

“It’s way better than working with people you don’t know. We hold each other accountable, and it’s just more fun," Edelson said.

All three students recognize that AI will shape the job market in years to come, but they see it more as a tool than a threat.

“AI will take some jobs, just like machines did during the Industrial Revolution,” Edelson said. “But we adapt. AI can’t do everything, and we still need people to guide it.”

Fried added that AI might take entry-level jobs, "but complex work still needs humans. Internships like this are crucial. You need experience or referrals to stand out today.”

It's why Gesino wanted to learn AI – to stay ahead: "Whether it’s in sports or education, knowing how to use AI will open doors.”

None of the students would be part of ChainCurrent AI without the guidance of Artzi, who referred all three and continues to mentor them in their internships and class projects.

“Dr. Artzi not only teaches the skills we’re applying right now,” Fried said. “The connections we’ve made at GCU have changed our paths.”

Student writer Leandra Lepp can be reached at leandra.lepp@gcu.edu.

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