Hey Simplifiers,

I spent some time at a NAPFA event listening to financial planners talk about AI.

And I expected the usual tech panic: robots stealing jobs, clients getting scammed, the end of human expertise as we know it.

Instead, what I heard was: "AI is giving me my time back."

One advisor said he spends 10+ hours a week on emails. Another said she uses AI to turn meeting notes into follow-up podcasts for clients. Someone else automates market volatility check-ins so clients don't panic-call at 6 a.m.

None of them are using AI to replace themselves. They're using it to stop doing tasks that don't require a human brain—so they can spend more time actually being human.

And honestly? That's the conversation more industries need to have.

Here's what the planners at the event are actually using AI for:

Notice what's missing? Decision-making. Strategy. Relationship-building.

AI handles the administrative drag. The advisor still does the advising.

That's not a replacement. That's a tool.

ElevenLabs — turns written content into voice. One planner uses it to convert newsletters into podcasts for clients who prefer audio.
(_{Side note: I tried this. Made $30 before realizing you have to pay for a subscription to stay in their creator payment program. Classic.})

NotebookLM — turns meeting notes into searchable, podcast-style summaries. No more digging through 47 Google Docs to remember what a client said in March.

Fireflies AI — records and transcribes meetings. Generates action items automatically.

Steve AI — creates quick video follow-ups. Think: "Hey, just checking in after our call" but in 90 seconds instead of scheduling another Zoom.

Agentic AI tools — research a topic, draft a response, hand it to you for review. You curate. You send. You save hours.

None of this is magic. It's just automation for stuff that shouldn't require a $300/hour professional's focus.

79% of clients expect their financial advisors to keep up with the latest technology still lot of professionals are afraid that using AI makes them look less expert. Like they're cheating. Or being replaced.

The advisors using it well aren't hiding it—they're disclosing it.

They tell clients: "I used AI to draft this summary. I reviewed and personalized it."
They're transparent about avatars, voice clones, automated emails.

Because the value isn't in typing the email. It's in the strategy behind it.

And if a tool gives you 10 extra hours a week to think, connect, and build better relationships with clients? That's not cutting corners. That's leverage.

You don't have to work in finance for this to apply.

If you're spending hours a week on:

You're probably working harder than you need to, not smarter.

AI won't make you obsolete. But it might make the parts of your job that drain you obsolete.

And that's the actual opportunity.

Pick one repetitive task you do every week that feels like a time suck.

Not something that requires your judgment. Something mechanical. Formulaic. Boring.

Then ask: "Could a tool do 80% of this, and I just review and finalize?"

You don't have to implement anything yet. Just notice where your time is going—and whether it actually needs to be your time.

With care,
C
Founder of The Simple Adult 🩶

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