By Steve Conley There’s something quietly symbolic about senior banking executives gathering at Tiffany’s to discuss the future of AI in finance. Crystal glasses. Polished marble. Legacy institutions. And conversations about “transformation.” But here’s the uncomfortable truth: While the industry debates how to upgrade itself… the centre of power is already moving somewhere else. The … Continue reading Breakfast at Tiffany’s… While the Power Shift Happens Elsewhere
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AI Didn’t Kill Financial Planning. It Exposed What Was Missing.
I’ve sat in the room. I’ve experienced the training.The deep listening.The powerful questions.The emotional breakthroughs. And to be clear—there is real value in that work. For many advisers, it’s the first time they: Slow down Truly listen See the person before the portfolio It can feel transformative. But after the experience fades, a quieter question … Continue reading AI Didn’t Kill Financial Planning. It Exposed What Was Missing.
The BSPS Scandal Wasn’t a Failure. It Was a Warning Ignored.
And the system still hasn’t learned the lesson. The FCA says the system worked.The Commissioner says it failed. Both can’t be true. For over 20 years, the UK regulator has known there is a problem in the defined benefit (DB) pension transfer market. Not suspected.Not emerging.Known. The original pension mis-selling scandal of the 1990s exposed … Continue reading The BSPS Scandal Wasn’t a Failure. It Was a Warning Ignored.
Salary or Self-Employment? For new planners, which path is actually safer in the age of AI?
For new planners, which path is actually safer in the age of AI? There is one objection that keeps coming up in conversations with Academy prospects: “I’d love to become a Total Wealth Planner, but I need the security of a salary.” It is a fair concern. It is also a revealing one. Because behind … Continue reading Salary or Self-Employment? For new planners, which path is actually safer in the age of AI?
From 90/10 to 99/1: The End of Intermediation
Why AI won’t just change financial advice — it will remove the need for it The financial advice industry is still asking the wrong question. “How can AI support advisers?” It’s the wrong lens. Because it assumes the adviser remains central. They don’t. The shift has already happened For decades, the model relied on three … Continue reading From 90/10 to 99/1: The End of Intermediation
AI Won’t Create a Golden Age of Financial Advice: It Will End It
The financial advice industry is asking the wrong question. Most commentary right now sounds like this: “How can firms use AI to improve advice?” It’s a comfortable question.A safe one. But it assumes something that is no longer true: 👉 That advice remains the centre of the system It doesn’t. The Real Shift Isn’t Technological … Continue reading AI Won’t Create a Golden Age of Financial Advice: It Will End It
The £590,000 Exit: What This Court Case Reveals About Who Really Owns the Client
“When a £590,000 debt is disputed… the real question isn’t what’s owed.It’s what was owned in the first place.” 🧾 The Case Making Headlines A recent Citywire (27 March 2026) report highlights a live court case: A former St. James’s Place (SJP) adviser has been sued for ~£590,000 The debt relates to a loan tied … Continue reading The £590,000 Exit: What This Court Case Reveals About Who Really Owns the Client
From System Dependence to Human Agency: A Free Practical Pathway Forward
We don’t need to escape the system. We need to outgrow it. For decades, we’ve been conditioned to believe that security comes from compliance. Get the qualifications Follow the career path Earn, save, invest Retire… eventually It was a system built for stability.But it came at a cost. A quiet trade-off: Security in exchange for … Continue reading From System Dependence to Human Agency: A Free Practical Pathway Forward
When a £1bn Fraud Takes 20 Years: This Isn’t Failure — It’s Structural Untrustworthiness
“When a £1bn fraud takes over 20 years to resolve, with victims still waiting and institutions investigating themselves, the issue isn’t operational failure — it’s structural untrustworthiness.” Let’s be clear. This is not about one bank.It’s not about one regulator.And it’s not about one historical scandal. This is about the architecture of trust in the … Continue reading When a £1bn Fraud Takes 20 Years: This Isn’t Failure — It’s Structural Untrustworthiness
AI Is Making Financial Advice Faster. We’re Making It Optional.
There’s a growing consensus across the financial advice sector:AI is here to stay—but it must remain firmly in a supporting role. Recent commentary from advisers and technology providers reinforces a familiar narrative: AI improves efficiency Humans retain control Advice remains central On the surface, this sounds reasonable. Even reassuring. But underneath, something far more significant … Continue reading AI Is Making Financial Advice Faster. We’re Making It Optional.
Academy of Life Planning 