My Financial Planner is a Robot

Scott,

Thanks for last week’s column on ChatGPT. It inspired me to test it for a personal project: financial planning for the eight years leading up to my retirement. I entered our full financial picture, including major goals like a new car lease and a caravan, and it generated a 36-page plan covering budgeting, investments, and retirement projections. I had it reviewed by a financial advisor (without mentioning it was AI-generated), and they were impressed, with only minor tweaks needed. The research was solid, with references included. It’s exciting to see AI making quality financial advice more accessible.

Aaron

Hey Aaron

Holy moly, did that column open up a can of worms.

Half my readers are convinced AI will somehow talk them into buying a timeshare in Managatang, while the other half are lecturing me about melting polar ice caps every time someone asks ChatGPT what's for dinner.  (Oh, and lots of people admitted they’re already having deep conversations with the AI version of me, which is just so … weird).

Yet Aaron you've cracked the code by using it as a research assistant rather than a replacement. I bet your advisor was quietly impressed that someone finally showed up having done more homework than googling 'how much super do I need?' five minutes before the meeting.

Well played.

Scott