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 →

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. →

AI Is Not the Risk. Loss of Control Is.

The financial services industry is beginning to push back. Not against AI itself—but against what AI represents. Because for the first time in decades, individuals are starting to make financial decisions without needing permission. And that changes everything. The Headline Says “Risk.” The Reality Says “Shift.” The Financial Conduct Authority has announced plans to accelerate … Continue reading AI Is Not the Risk. Loss of Control Is. →

Four Pathways to the Future of Financial Planning

Why the advisers who move now will define the next decade The Profession Has Already Changed Something has shifted in 2026. For years, advisers have understood the argument for moving beyond product-led advice. The logic has always been clear: Clients want clarity, not complexity Trust comes from alignment, not incentives Planning should lead — products … Continue reading Four Pathways to the Future of Financial Planning →

AI Is Making Advisers Faster. But Is It Making Clients Free?

Quilter, SJP, and the Real Question Facing Financial Planning Two announcements this week tell us everything about where traditional financial advice is heading. Quilter is rolling out AI tools to advisers.St James’s Place is doing the same. On the surface, this looks like progress. And it is. But only in one direction. What the Industry … Continue reading AI Is Making Advisers Faster. But Is It Making Clients Free? →

AI Is Making Work Harder — Not Easier

Why the Future of Financial Planning Is Human Agency For years we have been told that artificial intelligence will make work easier. AI will automate tasks.AI will save time.AI will free us to focus on higher-value work. But new research from the Harvard Business Review suggests something very different is happening. In an eight-month study … Continue reading AI Is Making Work Harder — Not Easier →

Clients Are Already Using AI. Many Advisers Haven’t Noticed Yet.

The Perception Gap in Financial Planning Two pieces of evidence landed this week. Individually they are interesting. Together they reveal something much bigger. 1️⃣ What investors are saying A new industry study reported in Financial Planning Today (12 March 2026) found growing openness to AI tools among investors. The numbers are striking: 63% of investors … Continue reading Clients Are Already Using AI. Many Advisers Haven’t Noticed Yet. →

The Planner’s New Role in the Age of AI

Why Financial Advisers Must Become Guides, Interpreters, and Trusted Thinking Partners A simple poll can sometimes reveal more about the future of an industry than a thousand white papers. Earlier this week I asked a straightforward question to advisers on LinkedIn: “What percentage of clients already use AI tools for financial planning or financial questions?” … Continue reading The Planner’s New Role in the Age of AI →

AI Won’t Replace Financial Advisers

But It Will Change What Advisers Actually Do A financial adviser told me something interesting this week. He said AI won’t replace advisers. An executive from the company behind Claude had said the same thing. He looked relieved. But the conversation that followed made me realise something much more important. AI may not replace advisers. … Continue reading AI Won’t Replace Financial Advisers →