Robinhood’s recent AI acquisition shows that companies are betting big on a further push to bring financial advice to the masses with technology. But a great many wealth management clients still prefer advice and counsel from investment professionals.
The advent of fintech companies like Robinhood, Webull, and TradeStation have made personal finance tools accessible to the masses, gaining popularity during the pandemic and the bull markets that followed. On July 2, 2024, Robinhood announced the acquisition of Pluto Capital Inc., an AI-powered investment research platform. Robinhood seems to have doubled down on its promise to democratize personal finance by providing advanced personalized investment strategies and real-time analytics to retail investors. This trend is likely to continue as more fintech companies try to remain competitive. Yet, despite the push from Robinhood and others, studies show that clients still value a professional’s advice.
Strategic Rationale for Democratization
As AI enters the personal finance industry, retail investors will have more capabilities at their fingertips than ever, as platforms like Pluto can analyze vast amounts of data in real-time, providing investors with insights that were previously unavailable quickly. Pluto Capital’s core strength lies in its advanced data analytics, powered by state-of-the-art large language models (LLMs). These models enable efficient processing and interpretation of vast amounts of market data, providing real-time access to personal and global financial information. This kind of capability allows for quicker identification of market trends and investment opportunities, a critical advantage in the fast-paced world of retail investing. This ready access to investment information further closes the gap between the resources available to investment professionals and retail investors.
Pluto (and now Robinhood) offer the ability to tailor investment strategies to individual customer profiles – something typically reserved for financial professionals. The platform achieves this by analyzing factors like risk tolerance, investment goals, and past client behavior. Historically, advanced investment tools and personalized advice have been the domain of the most affluent investors and their advisors. Robinhood’s acquisition hopes to democratize this process by giving its users access to these professional-grade tools.
Market Trends and Forces
Retail investors increasingly seek personalized investment advice tailored to their unique financial goals and risk tolerance. The integration of AI in financial services is driven by the need for more efficient data processing and personalized customer experiences. The trend is likely to continue, with more financial institutions adopting AI to stay competitive.
However, it’s important to note the market forces that underpin the popularity and boom of these highly individualized financial apps are changing. Trades cost next to nothing, and the aesthetic, ease of use, and quickness of the application “can make investing appear very simple” says [TG(1] Forbes. During the years of the pandemic, the stock market soared, and millennials especially capitalized on the ease of investing in an era where interest rates were still low, and stocks were rising along with bonds. For some, the app might be a good choice, but as Forbes adds, there are reasons to be wary of any platform that “treats markets almost like a game.”
Caution is especially warranted as the market forces that carried fintech giants to new heights have shifted dramatically. Interest rates have risen significantly and remain elevated, dispersion of market returns has increased, and prices overall are volatile. As achieving the same returns in 2024 is likely to be harder than it was in 2020, those who fared well on their own via self-investing apps might do well to reconsider their strategies as markets move into more volatile and risky terrain.
Clients Still Need Face-to-Face Interaction
Despite advancements in technology and the expanded capabilities of platforms like Robinhood, recent studies indicate that many investors still value human interaction when it comes to their financial advice. According to a 2024 Q2 [TG(2] Quarterly Market Perceptions Study by life insurance and financial planning giant Allianz, 54% of Americans who work with a financial professional say they would prefer to meet with them more frequently than they currently do. This sentiment is particularly strong among millennials – the same demographic that catapulted self-investing fintech apps like Robinhood - with nearly 71% expressing a desire for more frequent meetings.
The investing surge of the past few years has also perhaps produced a positive side effect, with the number of Americans who would rather have their money sit in cash than endure market swings dropping from 62% in Q2 2023 to 56% in Q2 2024. Additionally, the number of Americans who say they are too nervous to invest in the market right now has fallen from 45% in Q2 2023 to 37% in Q2 2024. People are becoming more comfortable with investing and more willing to expose their assets to risk instead of keeping it in the bank.
The findings from the Allianz study highlight a significant trend: while technology can provide a valuable tool and insight, many investors still seek the reassurance and personalized advice that comes from interaction with a well-qualified investment professional.
The Path Forward
AI-integration will not escape even the savviest of advisors, but rather, help to enhance advisory businesses and individual investing alike. Robinhood’s acquisition of Pluto Capital represents a significant step in the democratization of finance, but a holistic approach to investing is likely to be more nuanced than an app can provide. As markets become more dynamic and investors’ appetites for more complex asset classes increase, the value of financial advice from a professional is likely to increase as well. However, advisors may well need to pivot their engagement strategies in order to compete against next-generation technology. The persistent desire for professional interaction, as highlighted by Allianz’s results, underscores the importance of balancing technological advancements with human touchpoints. For advisors and RIAs though, AI integration marks a significant turning point in the investing and wealth management industry. As the fintech sector continues to evolve, the most successful platforms and advisors will likely be those that can seamlessly integrate cutting-edge technology with the personalized service that investors need.
(1]https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/robinhood-review/#:~:text=Robinhood%20has%20become%20one%20of,markets%20almost%20like%20a%20game.
(2]https://www.allianzlife.com/about/newsroom/2024-Press-Releases/Americans-Less-Fearful-About-a-Recession-and-Investing
