By Steve Conley
Founder, Academy of Life Planning | Get SAFE | M-POWER
We live in a time when machines can compose essays, write poetry, and even simulate empathy. For some, this stirs concern. Commentators like The Times’ James Marriott suggest society is becoming too comfortable with “artificial” support—preferring predictable algorithms over unpredictable humans.
But for those of us supporting victims of financial harm, AI isn’t a threat. It’s a lifeline.
In my work through the Academy of Life Planning, Rebuild and Thrive, and Get SAFE, I’ve seen how AI—used ethically and responsibly—can be a force for clarity, empowerment, and justice. It doesn’t replace human touch. It amplifies it.
AI in Action: Rebuild and Thrive
Rebuild and Thrive is a six-week life recovery course for victims of financial crime. It uses a holistic, person-centred approach to help people reclaim their confidence, purpose, and future. AI supports this by helping me create personalised planning tools, curate resources, and scale support to more people—without losing the intimacy and integrity that make the programme so effective.
But don’t just take my word for it:
🗣️ “Rebuild and Thrive gives people back their self-esteem so they can realise options for the future. It’s an excellent programme—helping survivors overcome the shame of being exploited, scammed, and ignored.”
— Hugh M
🗣️ “The Thrive course was excellent. I’ve been very grateful for all your support. I’m confident that it can benefit all financial victims—both through the course material and the supportive community.”
— Helen M
🗣️ “Rebuild and Thrive is doing what many established groups aren’t: offering something practical, timely, and emotionally intelligent. It’s not about roles or egos. It’s about results.”
— Brian H
These are real voices. Real experiences. And behind the scenes, AI plays a small but powerful role in making these transformations possible.
1. AI Helps Us Plan Lives, Not Just Finances
In life planning, clarity is everything. AI helps clients articulate goals, clarify values, and visualise their future—not through generic platitudes, but through responsive, structured dialogue that prompts self-reflection and insight.
I’ve seen clients feel genuinely heard—not because AI is pretending to be human, but because it’s helping them listen to themselves.
They arrive overwhelmed. They leave with a roadmap.
2. AI Accelerates Justice and Recovery
In the realm of financial justice, time and information are of the essence. AI assists in synthesising large volumes of data, identifying patterns, and drafting coherent narratives—whether it’s to challenge institutions, prepare submissions, or coordinate survivor stories into compelling campaigns.
Without AI, our progress would be measured in months. With AI, we act in days.
AI doesn’t just help us build cases. It helps us build confidence.
3. AI Amplifies the Voices of the Overlooked
When mainstream media won’t listen, when institutions dismiss and delay, AI helps us craft and publish our own narratives. Social media posts, newsletters, articles—AI gives those without a marketing team or editorial board the power to reach thousands.
One post, written with AI support, can turn isolation into solidarity.
But Isn’t AI Artificial?
Yes, of course. AI lacks lived experience. It doesn’t feel grief or joy. But neither does a book, a map, or a mirror—and yet all three can profoundly move us.
The real issue is not whether AI feels. It’s whether it helps.
And my clients would testify: it does help. It helps them take the first step, shape their story, and see themselves not as victims—but as agents of change.
The Real Human Touch
Let’s not confuse sentimentality with connection. Some people, especially those traumatised by betrayal, find solace in AI’s non-judgmental patience. Unlike many professionals, AI never dismisses, gaslights, or overcomplicates. It listens. It adapts. It serves.
In my work, AI doesn’t replace the human touch. It restores it—by giving people the tools to reconnect with their own agency, purpose, and community.
That’s not dystopia. That’s dignity.
AI is not our competition. It’s our co-pilot. And in a world that often silences the wounded, AI can help us find our voice again.
So yes, let’s be real. Some prefer the artificial.
But the real miracle is that AI, in the right hands, helps humans become more human still.
AI: A Tool Against Fake News, Not Just a Source of It
Concerns about AI generating fake news are valid—and widely reported. But the deeper truth is this: AI is not inherently a threat. It’s a mirror. Its value depends entirely on how and why it’s used.
While bad actors may exploit AI to manipulate, those working in service of truth and justice can use the very same tools to detect misinformation, verify facts, and educate the public.
Here’s how we use AI responsibly in the Rebuild and Thrive programme and the wider Get SAFE initiative to maintain integrity and factual accuracy:
✅ 1. Cross-Sourcing Facts With AI
AI excels at comparing multiple perspectives. I use it to source and summarise information from a wide range of credible publications. To avoid bias, I often prompt AI to include:
- Sources from both sides of an argument
- Direct citations and links
- Distinctions between verified fact, legal record, and public opinion
🧠 If AI gives a quote, I check the original source manually. The tool does the heavy lifting—human oversight does the final check.
🔍 2. Performing “Lateral Reading” at Scale
As Virginia Tech’s Julia Feerrar recommends, we always look beyond the content itself. AI helps by:
- Checking the reputation of unfamiliar websites
- Flagging repeated use of anonymous or non-verifiable sources
- Suggesting independent third-party verifiers (e.g. Snopes, Reuters Fact Check, Full Fact UK)
It’s like having a digital research assistant that never tires—but still needs a responsible human editor.
🔐 3. Highlighting Misinformation Patterns
AI doesn’t just write. It can detect. By comparing phrasing, topic clustering, and known misinformation cues, AI tools can:
- Identify suspected propaganda language
- Compare headlines to body content for manipulation
- Detect overly emotional or fear-driven content
This is especially helpful when trying to make sense of emotionally charged narratives around financial crime—where clarity is vital.
🧰 4. Fact-Checking Tools You Can Use Right Now
You don’t need advanced coding skills to check facts with AI. Here are three simple tools:
- ChatGPT (with web access): Ask it to summarise opposing views or list credible sources on a topic.
- Google Fact Check Tools: Use factchecktools.google.com to search for validated fact-checks.
- NewsGuard or Media Bias/Fact Check: Use AI browser plugins that rate news site reliability in real-time.
✅ Conclusion: AI Can Be a Force for Truth
Yes, AI can be misused. So can any technology. But when harnessed with integrity, transparency, and critical oversight, AI becomes one of the most powerful fact-checking and truth-amplifying tools available to the public.
In Rebuild and Thrive, we don’t teach people to trust AI blindly.
We teach them how to use it wisely—to protect themselves, to verify claims, and to speak their truth with confidence.
Footnote: AI in Regulation – The FCA Leads by Example
Even the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) recognises the powerful potential of AI when used responsibly. In April 2025, the FCA announced plans to launch a live AI testing service as part of its AI Lab. This initiative aims to support firms in deploying safe, ethical, and consumer-beneficial AI tools—bridging a vital testing gap that has slowed innovation in financial services.
“We want financial firms and their customers to benefit from AI, so we’re providing a safe space to test how they plan to use it.”
— Jessica Rusu, Chief Data, Intelligence and Information Officer, FCA
The FCA’s strategy affirms a tech-positive approach that fosters innovation, protects consumers, and ensures competitiveness in the UK financial market. Just as regulators move forward with AI responsibly, so do we.
Your Money or Your Life
Unmask the highway robbers – Enjoy wealth in every area of your life!
By Steve Conley. Available on Amazon. Visit www.steve.conley.co.uk to find out more.
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