Rebuilding the human framework of advice

Smart planning software powered by AI is transforming the advisory business. Tasks that once took hours — scenario modeling, projections, product comparisons — now take minutes. It’s not just efficiency, it’s strategic enablement. AI-driven platforms are helping firms deliver more consistent, scalable and client-ready planning experiences.

In short, the digital infrastructure is advancing rapidly. But the human infrastructure — advisor-led relationships — has not kept pace.

This growing misalignment is becoming a new dividing line in the industry. Firms that align their technology capabilities and evolve their human advice model will lead the market. Those that fail to adapt both sides may find themselves increasingly irrelevant, stuck in outdated service models, while competitors surge ahead.

From knowledge to wisdom

The concept of a wisdom era isn’t new. Thought leaders like Stan Davis and Jim Bodkin framed this as a shift from the knowledge economy — where data, information and expertise were the differentiators — to a wisdom economy, where judgment, context and human interpretation take centre stage.

AI has made knowledge a commodity. Today, anyone can access financial facts, projections and options with a few clicks. What clients increasingly seek — and what truly differentiates an advisor — is wisdom: knowing what matters, when to act, how to weigh trade-offs and how to support confident decisions.

Automated platforms have reduced cost and improved consistency. Digital systems have enhanced compliance and audit trails. Cybersecurity tools protect growing volumes of client data. And smart planning software boosts productivity and planning frequency.

But even the most sophisticated platforms are often underused. In many cases, robust, full-ecosystem planning tools are used as simplified calculators or modular needs-analysis engines — repurposed not to drive holistic advice, but to more efficiently route clients toward product sales. The tools are capable of strategic planning; the usage patterns often aren’t.

If we fail to evolve the human side of advice, we’re investing in only half the solution.

Author Geoff Colvin describes durable skills as those least likely to be replaced by automation: empathy, judgment, storytelling, deep listening and trust-building. These skills aren’t technical, they’re relational. And they’re foundational to modern advice.

Yet many newer entrants to the industry lack formal development in these areas. They’re fluent in platforms and planning tools, but less so in guiding emotional decisions or navigating nuanced client dynamics. Without intentional investment in these durable skills, firms risk building fast engines without a steering wheel.

Interpretation and clarity

Clients don’t just need data. They need interpretation and clarity. And they need it delivered in a way that matches how adults learn:

• Visually: Research shows adults retain 65% of information presented visually, compared to 30% when it’s only spoken.
• Experientially: Clients learn through dialogue, analogy and emotional resonance — not technical jargon.
• Contextually: Advice must feel relevant to life events, not abstract performance metrics.

Firms that treat the advisor role as a planner with a license miss the point. The human side of advice must evolve into something more proactive, perceptive and personal.

Advisory businesses that align technological advancement with human skill development will gain both productivity and trust. When AI handles the heavy lifting of analysis and strategy, it frees the advisor to focus on deeper relationships. This builds loyalty, improves engagement and ultimately grows revenue and retention.

But the inverse is also true: if AI accelerates planning while advisor behaviour remains transactional, clients will increasingly bypass the advisor altogether in favor of cheaper, faster alternatives.

Advisory success in the next decade won’t be determined by technology alone. It will depend on how well firms align digital innovation with human relationships. Those who get that right — who balance smart platforms with wise professionals — won’t just survive. They’ll lead.