Reflections from a Transparency Task Force Discussion with the Academy of Life Planning There was a noticeable shift in tone during this recent Transparency Task Force session. For once, the conversation was not primarily about another scandal, regulatory failure, or institutional breakdown. Instead, it explored something more foundational: What happens when ordinary people gain access … Continue reading AI, Human Agency, and the Future of Life Planning
Author: Steve Conley
Steve Conley brings over four decades of innovation and expertise to the forefront of financial planning. As the founder and driving force behind the Academy of Life Planning and HapNav Ltd, Steve has been a pivotal figure in transforming financial services to be more democratic and decentralised. His role as a Game Plan Practitioner, Coach, Mentor, Speaker, and Author of "Your Money or Your Life: Unmask the Highway Robbers - Enjoy Wealth in Every Area of Your Life" underlines his comprehensive approach to financial education.
The Academy of Life Planning, hailed as the "Most Pioneering Financial Planner Network," reflects Steve's commitment to fostering transparency, integrity, and accessibility. This institution serves as a testament to his dedication to enhancing the financial planning landscape.
Under Steve's innovative leadership, HapNav Ltd has launched groundbreaking advancements, including the first end-user financial planning app integrated with open banking. This app guides users towards achieving 'Kokoro'—a life rich in financial, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual abundance.
Recently, Steve introduced "Planning My Life" and "Financial Life Coach"—services that extend his ethos into practical, impactful tools for financial autonomy. "Planning My Life" offers an affordable subscription model, giving members access to an AI Life Planner, comprehensive resources, and expert insights. These initiatives epitomise Steve’s commitment to empowering individuals, nurturing community growth, and contributing significantly to global efforts to eradicate poverty.
Steve's journey is more than a career; it's a steadfast crusade to revolutionise financial education and planning, creating a world where financial wellbeing is not just attainable, but enriches every aspect of our lives. Contact steve.conley@aolp.co.uk.
Only 7% of Advisers Fully Trust Their Technology Outputs
If Institutional Systems Are Supposed to Be More “Auditable, Accurate and Repeatable”… Why Don’t Advisers Trust Them? For years, one of the major arguments made by large financial services technology providers has been that institutional systems are inherently safer and more reliable than individuals using AI tools independently. The logic usually sounds something like this: … Continue reading Only 7% of Advisers Fully Trust Their Technology Outputs
The AI Capability Gap May Become Society’s Next Big Inequality
What we are likely witnessing is the rapid institutionalisation of AI capability across financial services. If “hundreds” of firms are applying to the Financial Conduct Authority AI sandbox, that suggests: distributors, manufacturers, platforms, insurers, wealth managers, banks, and fintechs are all racing to build AI-enhanced operational and decision systems. And importantly, they are not doing … Continue reading The AI Capability Gap May Become Society’s Next Big Inequality
OpenAI’s New Financial Planning Tool Raises a Bigger Question: Who Shapes the Future of Financial Planning?
This week, OpenAI announced the launch of a new personal finance experience inside ChatGPT for US Pro users. "People are already turning to ChatGPT for help: more than 200 million people come to ChatGPT every month for budgeting, questions about their investments, comparing different paths, planning for future goals, and more." The system allows users to connect financial … Continue reading OpenAI’s New Financial Planning Tool Raises a Bigger Question: Who Shapes the Future of Financial Planning?
If Institutions Have AI, Regulators Have AI, and Scammers Have AI… Then Individuals Need AI Too
For years, technology in financial services was largely discussed as a productivity tool. Faster processing.Better reporting.Lower costs.More automation. But the conversation is now shifting. This week, the Financial Conduct Authority openly discussed the possibility of “robo-regulation” — a future where AI helps monitor firms, identify risks, detect misconduct, and supervise markets in real time. At … Continue reading If Institutions Have AI, Regulators Have AI, and Scammers Have AI… Then Individuals Need AI Too
The Industry Is Starting to Move Toward Total Wealth Planning
For years, many of us inside the Academy of Life Planning have felt like we were speaking a different language from the wider financial services industry. While much of the profession focused on: products, portfolios, regulation, platforms, and accumulation models, AoLP kept returning to a simpler question: “What do human beings actually need in order … Continue reading The Industry Is Starting to Move Toward Total Wealth Planning
The Missing Asset in Britain’s Retirement Debate
Why Financial Planners Must Start Planning Human Capital — Not Just Pension Pots The Pensions Commission has warned, in the Pensions 2050: evidence and future priorities – interim report, that 15 million people are on course for inadequate retirement incomes. The proposed solutions will sound familiar: higher pension contributions, wider automatic enrolment, stronger retirement safeguards, … Continue reading The Missing Asset in Britain’s Retirement Debate
Restore Human Agency — and What That Means for the Future of Financial Planning
For years, the financial planning profession has largely been built around one central assumption: People need experts to take control. Control of investments.Control of products.Control of complexity.Control of decision-making. That model made sense in an era where financial information was scarce, expensive, fragmented, and difficult for ordinary people to access. But the world has changed. … Continue reading Restore Human Agency — and What That Means for the Future of Financial Planning
The Hidden Money in the Small Print
Why The Leveller™ exists — and what investment platform cash interest tells us about modern finance There is a quiet shift happening inside modern financial services. Not a dramatic scandal.Not fraud.Not necessarily even misconduct. Something subtler. A growing gap between what institutions technically disclose… and what ordinary people genuinely understand. A recent Citywire report highlighted … Continue reading The Hidden Money in the Small Print
The Faster the System Becomes, the More Capable People Must Become
The UK government has quietly signalled the direction of travel for the future of financial services. Faster approvals. Faster innovation. Faster regulation. More flexibility for firms. More strategic oversight. Less procedural friction. The recent HM Treasury consultation response on financial services regulatory reform makes the trajectory increasingly clear: the UK wants a more agile, competitive, … Continue reading The Faster the System Becomes, the More Capable People Must Become
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