Our commitment to human agency, stewardship and responsible professional practice Our purpose The Academy of Life Planning exists to restore human agency by helping people develop the knowledge, capabilities and confidence to understand their circumstances, make informed choices and act independently. We believe that human talents, knowledge and capabilities carry responsibilities as well as opportunities. … Continue reading Academy of Life Planning: Statement of Ethical Principles
Tag: technology
Clients have AI too. What are planners for now?
By Steve Conley | Academy of Life Planning | 2 November 2026 Here is something our profession is slow to admit. Clients have AI too. They can ask questions at midnight. They can translate unfamiliar language, compare explanations and ask what might be missing from a recommendation. They can also ask a question that should … Continue reading Clients have AI too. What are planners for now?
Why agency matters now: build the ark before the rain
By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning Most people do not wake up wanting financial advice. They wake up wondering whether they can afford to leave a job. Whether retirement is possible. How to help their children without putting their own future at risk. What to do when an institution they trusted lets them … Continue reading Why agency matters now: build the ark before the rain
AI can help you fight for justice. But be careful what you upload.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has issued an important warning about AI, confidentiality and legal privilege. Here is what it means for ordinary people using AI to challenge powerful institutions. Steve Conley | Get SAFE | 30 October 2026 AI is changing the balance of power For years, people challenging banks, insurers, pension providers and other … Continue reading AI can help you fight for justice. But be careful what you upload.
Keeping Goliathon fair, safe and sustainable: what changed today
Oct 28, 2026 · @Steve Conley Today we made Goliathon safer, fairer and more sustainable. Everyday use now runs on a shared monthly AI allowance that we fund, and anyone planning a large job can switch to their own Anthropic key in a few clicks. Goliathon helps people in a dispute with an institution turn … Continue reading Keeping Goliathon fair, safe and sustainable: what changed today
Your clients are becoming more capable. Is your business model keeping up?
Why the Academy believes the next 6–12 months should be a period of serious business-model review for financial advisers. By Steve Conley | Academy of Life Planning | 24 October 2026 There is a reassuring response to research showing younger investors using AI. “Our clients are older.” It sounds like a reason to carry on. … Continue reading Your clients are becoming more capable. Is your business model keeping up?
You Can Build Your Own Apps. So Can Your Clients.
What building Academy OS has taught us about AI, human agency and the future of professional support. There is a particular excitement in watching an idea become a working tool. A scorecard you once needed someone else to create. A cashflow model shaped around the questions you actually ask. An everyday task that used to … Continue reading You Can Build Your Own Apps. So Can Your Clients.
Who Equips the Citizen?
Why the Mills Review mattered beyond financial intermediation By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning | 19 October 2026 A person opens a letter from their pension provider. They understand the words, but cannot see what the assumptions mean for them. Another receives an adviser’s proposal. They want to examine the charges, alternatives and … Continue reading Who Equips the Citizen?
Equip the Davids. Stop waiting for the Goliaths to behave.
Join us in restoring human agency—helping citizens use AI to prevent financial exploitation, challenge institutional power and pursue recovery. For years, consumer campaigners have asked financial institutions to behave better. Be more transparent. Treat people fairly. Investigate properly. Put things right when harm occurs. We take evidence to regulators. We speak to parliamentarians. We attend … Continue reading Equip the Davids. Stop waiting for the Goliaths to behave.
When your clients already have the answers, what are your fees for?
New research puts AI almost level with human advisers as a comfortable place to ask financial questions. The bigger challenge is what happens to the business model when clients need fewer answers from you. For thirty years, I have watched a pattern repeat across financial services. As consumers gain visibility, understanding and the means to … Continue reading When your clients already have the answers, what are your fees for?
