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According to surveys from the World Economic Forum and the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, as of late 2023 85% of financial organizations globally were using AI tools in some form, and 52% have already created at least some AI-driven products and services. Additionally, 77% of firms believe generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Bard, and Microsoft Copilot will become essential to the industry in the next two years.

While lawmakers, technologists, philosophers, and everyone in between may continue to debate the ramifications of developing AI and potential guardrails that should be placed on new innovations, it’s clear these platforms are not going anywhere and have already become indispensable to many businesses for one simple reason: efficiency. ChatGPT, for example, can scour the entirety of the internet and return comprehensive, conversational answers to queries in a matter of seconds, dramatically faster than a human being could reach the same conclusion. And as one of the industries most directly impacting everyday people and their livelihoods, the financial services profession has found itself at the heart of this technological revolution.

This examination of how financial professionals can use AI effectively and responsibly was the subject of a recent webcast from The American College of Financial Services, held exclusively on its subscription-based learning platform Knowledge Hub+. Eric Ludwig, PhD, CFP®, director of The College’s Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®) Program, and Chet Bennetts, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, RICP®, CLF®, director of the Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) and CFP® Certification Education Programs, hosted the discussion based on their deep experience with testing and using AI systems: specifically, the evolving field of prompt engineering.

“Almost everyone who uses ChatGPT for the first time is blown away–but not always for the right reasons,” Ludwig says. “Its job is to respond and give you answers, but in doing so it’s not immune to ‘hallucinating’ or making up information. The question we’re trying to address is how to get the tool to do what you want it to do, and the answer is making clearer requests.”

"The question we’re trying to address is how to get [AI] to do what you want it to do, and the answer is making clearer requests.”

- Eric Ludwig, PhD, CFP®

Uses of AI in Financial Services

As Ludwig and Bennetts point out, even before the launch of ChatGPT, almost everyone was using AI in their lives in some form or another, whether it be through voice assistants like Siri or recommendations in your Netflix queue. The differences between these algorithm-driven services and something like ChatGPT are functionality, level of interactivity, and real-time updates—something that substantially changes the game.

“Consider this: when Netflix and Facebook were first introduced to the world, it took nearly 10 years for them to become universally adopted and accepted,” Ludwig says. “With ChatGPT, it took only two months. Financial professionals can’t afford to overlook these technologies.”

So, should your financial services practice start using AI in everyday work? Ludwig and Bennetts say the answer largely depends on the kind of work advisors want AI to do for them. As Bennetts explains it, there are three big questions every financial professional looking to leverage AI tools should ask themselves:

1. Does it matter if the AI tool’s output is true to your practice?
2. Do you or other advisors have the expertise to verify what the AI tool is telling you?
3. Are you or your organization willing to take responsibility for inaccuracies that may occur based on AI-generated knowledge?

Depending on the answers to these questions, Bennetts suggests financial professionals think long and hard about how they can use AI to its maximum potential and with minimal risk to themselves and their reputations.

“Time savings from using AI tools depends on what you’re using them for,” he says. “Obviously ChatGPT isn’t going to be able to run a meeting with a client for you. But it can be great for service-level jobs, preparation for client meetings, and portfolio- or proposal-building.”

“Obviously ChatGPT isn’t going to be able to run a meeting with a client for you. But it can be great for service-level jobs, preparation for client meetings, and portfolio- or proposal-building.”

- Chet Bennetts, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, RICP®, CLF®

How Advisors Can Use AI Responsibly

While ChatGPT and other AI tools are powerful, Ludwig and Bennetts stress they are not infallible: ChatGPT is notoriously bad at translating written descriptions into visual images, for example, and at times even basic math appears to be difficult for it. For this reason, the thought leaders strongly advise against taking the information AI provides as gospel—at least, not without checking it first.

Bennetts says he recommends financial professionals use AI tools as a starting point for research or drafting, reviewing its output and saving the most salient points for personalization and fact-checking before use. Because of this, he says he’s skeptical AI will ever fully replace human workers.

“We generally find consumers still get their financial advice more from social media than from AI,” he says. “The medical community probably felt the same way when WebMD was first created, but WebMD didn’t stop people from going to their doctor. It’s a supplement, not a substitution.”

"[AI] is a supplement [to professional guidance], not a substitution.”

- Chet Bennetts, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, RICP®, CLF®

Ludwig and Bennetts also say advisors using ChatGPT and similar systems shouldn’t be afraid to get specific about what they want and how they want it when using AI: advisors can use the technology to provide output to a multitude of formats, specifications, and voices—as long as they know how to ask the right questions and keep their intended audience in mind.

Want to learn more? You can watch Bennetts and Ludwig’s full conversation, including a live demonstration of how financial professionals can use ChatGPT, as well as their AI 101 course, on Knowledge Hub+, now available exclusively to members of The College’s Professional Recertification Program–and coming soon as an open subscription model!

More From The College:

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See our CFP® Certification Education Program.

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA – February 14, 2024 – The American College of Financial Services 2023 Retirement Income Literacy Study finds that older Americans lack actionable retirement knowledge—averaging 31% on a retirement literacy quiz. The study reinforces the direct relationships that exist between financial literacy and factors such as asset level, as respondents with more than $1.5 million score twice as high as those with less than $100,000 (50% vs. 25%). The study also reveals the essential role financial professionals play in educating clients, as advised respondents have higher retirement income literacy and better outcomes than their peers.

The study comes at a time when more Americans need to ensure they will have enough money to last throughout their lifetimes. The much-discussed Baby Boomer wave will crest in 2024, with 12,000 retiring every day. With the “Graying of America” and the median age of Americans going up, it is more important than ever to plan for longer, well-lived lives, considering long-term care needs and replacing more of their pre-retirement income.  

"In the U.S., with the exception of Social Security and the comparatively small number of workers with guaranteed pensions, saving for retirement is voluntary. This requires the consumer to know how much to save, where to save it, and how much to drawdown at retirement," says Steve Parrish, JD, RICP®, CLU®, CHFC®, AEP®, Professor of Practice at The American College of Financial Services. "This necessitates understanding basic concepts about investing, taxes, insurance, and finances. To measure how prepared Americans are for retirement, an important consideration is how knowledgeable consumers are about retirement. Call it ‘literacy,’ ‘aptitude,’ or ‘competence,’ do Americans know enough to take on the burdens that come with the freedom of voluntarily saving for retirement?"

This is why, for the last nine years, The College has conducted a comprehensive survey of retirement income literacy. Information was collected on the level of knowledge of 12 key retirement-related knowledge areas. While there has been a good deal of attention on financial literacy, almost all those studies have focused on the accumulation period. This study focuses on those ages 50-75, a period where issues such as how best to withdraw income from assets come into play and how to manage finances in retirement is critical.

Key Findings Highlight Gaps and Opportunities

One of the more eye-popping results that caught The College research team's attention was how well respondents' self-ratings of their retirement income knowledge matched up with their actual scores on our literacy test. “Among those who didn't rate themselves very highly in terms of retirement knowledge, a whopping 73% had less than $100,000 saved up for retirement. Compare that to the group at the other end of the spectrum—those who felt confident about their retirement smarts. 81% of this group had savings above $100,000,” says Eric Ludwig, PhD, CFP®, Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) Program Director and Director of the American College Center of Retirement Income at The American College of Financial Services.

Retirement Knowledge Powers Confidence

One measure—and perhaps the most significant indicator—of retirement outcomes is confidence. The study uses a Retirement Confidence Scale based on respondents’ self-reported confidence that they will feel financially secure, have enough money to live comfortably, and do a good job handling their investments throughout retirement. The 2023 Retirement Income Literacy Study reveals the predicted probability of the highest Retirement Confidence level increases with Retirement Income Literacy Score. Put simply: As retirement planning knowledge improves, so does confidence.

Americans Struggle With Unfamiliar Topics

Direct experience seems to contribute to applied financial knowledge in certain areas, yet the unknown may catch Americans unprepared. Although both overall scores and underlying scores on the 12 retirement knowledge areas are low across the board, respondents show significantly greater knowledge of certain areas having to do with lived experience, including inflation, housing, and Medicare—all of which garner higher scores than the overall average (31%).

The study also explores the topic of longevity—an essential knowledge area to understand when planning retirement income to last a lifetime. Americans consistently underestimate life expectancy and are unaware of how long individuals tend to live, with just over one in five (22%) expecting to live past 89 and just over one in four (27%) able to correctly identify the average life expectancy of a man at age 65. This is particularly concerning because so many Americans plan to supplement their Social Security with their 401(k) and IRA accounts. If they underestimate their own life expectancy, they risk exhausting their savings in retirement—potentially outliving their assets.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Retirement planning knowledge is highly variable across different parts of society. Generally, more assets, higher education, male gender, White or “Other” race, and greater life experience (including age and retirement status) correlate to higher Retirement Income Literacy Scores. The research highlights disparities across different demographic segments, including:

• Respondents score higher the more investable assets they have. 
• Respondents who have earned advanced degrees score highest, followed by college graduates.
• Men consistently score higher than women, currently and in the past. 
• White and “Other” respondents, including Asian/AAPI respondents, score higher than Black and Hispanic respondents. 
• Retired respondents score higher than non-retired respondents.

“In the complex realm of financial planning, the idea that a one-size-fits-all approach suits everyone is a misconception. Just as each person is unique, their financial strategies should be tailored accordingly, particularly regarding retirement income planning and considerations for long-term care and health care,” says Kaylee Ranck, PhD, Director, Office of College Research at The American College of Financial Services. “Developing personalized plans that take into account individual goals, projected lifespan, and specific healthcare requirements within the constantly evolving and intricate landscape of retirement is essential for ensuring a secure financial future.”

Financial Advisors Can Help Bridge Knowledge Gaps

The study establishes a compelling link between retirement literacy and working directly with a financial advisor. Advised respondents have higher scores across all knowledge areas, are more financially well, and feel more confident about retirement.

• Participants with ongoing advisory relationships scored 11 points higher on retirement income literacy than those without (38% vs 27%).
• Those who work with financial advisors score nine points higher than those who don’t (50% vs. 41%) on financial well-being, measured using the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Financial Well-Being Scale.
• Having a financial advisor predicts increased confidence and decreased stress and anxiety, controlling for demographic factors.

“While this most recent iteration of the Retirement Income Literacy Study reiterates the themes found in most financial planning research concerning the lack of financial and retirement literacy, one thing that became abundantly clear this time around was just how important the role of the financial professional is in consumers’ lives,” says Chet Bennetts, CFP®, CHFC®, CLU®, RICP®, CLF®, CFP® Certification Education and Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) Program Director at The American College of Financial Services. “When we measured financial anxiety and financial stress, those with a financial professional had 20% less financial anxiety and 25% less financial stress.”

With robust results from surveying more than 3,765 Americans aged 50 to 75, the Retirement Income Literacy Study research team plans to release additional data to provide deeper analysis into topics highlighted here–plus additional perspectives yet to be revealed. For more information and to view initial and future results, visit TheAmericanCollege.edu/RILS.

Methodology

The 2023 Retirement Income Literacy Study conducted by The American College of Financial Services measures financial literacy in 12 retirement-related knowledge areas among individuals approaching or in retirement age. Researchers from The College surveyed 3,765 Americans aged 50 to 75 in online interviews conducted in August 2023. The data was collected to match the 2020 U.S. Census for gender and race. Building on studies conducted in 2014, 2017, and 2020, the 2023 study included respondents of all asset levels, whereas prior versions focused on respondents with a minimum of $100,000 of investable assets. The insights derived will shape The College's educational initiatives, collaborations, and thought leadership endeavors.

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ABOUT THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF FINANCIAL SERVICES   

Founded in 1927, The American College of Financial Services is the nation’s largest nonprofit educational institution devoted to financial services professionals. Holding the highest level of academic accreditation, The College has educated over 200,000 professionals across the United States through certificate, designation, and graduate degree programs. Its portfolio of applied knowledge also includes just-in-time learning and consumer financial education programs. The College’s faculty represents some of the foremost thought leaders in the financial services industry. Visit TheAmericanCollege.edu and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Discover all the ways you can expand your opportunities with us.

Contact:

Sarah Tremallo
908-967-0381 / stremallo@jconnelly.com

Lindsey Allumbaugh
678-643-1310 / lindsey.allumbaugh@theamericancollege.edu