Founder & CEO
Shaping Wealth
Brian Portnoy, Ph.D., CFA, is an entrepreneur, writer, and expert in the psychology of money. He is the founder of Shaping Wealth, the global wealth industry's premier learning & engagement platform for human-first financial guidance. Advisors partner with Shaping Wealth to invest in their human capital and client experience. In 2024, WealthManagement.com recognized Shaping Wealth as the financial advice industry's most disruptive firm. Brian’s three behavioral finance books have been published in 15 languages and one of them, The Geometry of Wealth: How to Shape of Life of Money and Meaning, inspired his current venture. Brian previously worked for 20 years in the hedge fund and mutual fund industries as investor, researcher, and educator. He serves on the ambassador’s council of the Alliance for Decision Education, is a CFA Charterholder, and is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago. Brian earned his doctorate at the University of Chicago and undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan.
Most AI innovations in wealth management focus on finding efficiencies and accelerations of mechanical workflow processes, such as with CRMs, notetakers, planning tools, and portfolio management systems. However, much of success or failure in financial planning stems from behavioral factors related to trust, clarity, confidence, emotion, decision-making, judgment, and more. How then does AI impact the human side of advice? This panel explores advances in the mutually reinforcing dynamic between applied behavioral finance and AI technologies which are increasingly sophisticated and empathetic in their application. How AI influences the value of human capital–including hiring, training, and coaching–will be a central topic of discussion.
Two competing visions for AI are emerging in wealth advisory. The first emphasizes digitization and automation—scaling through higher client-to-advisor ratios and replacing advisors with processes. The second vision reflects our industry’s actual trajectory: each technological advance has enabled advisors to serve fewer clients more comprehensively. This approach prioritizes effectiveness over efficiency, recognizing that guiding clients toward financial wellbeing is deeply human work—helping people understand their needs, navigate emotional barriers, and achieve their goals. Here, AI enhances our ability to serve as empathic guides with practical behavioral expertise, not just technical planners. Embracing this vision offers a constructive path forward for an industry defining its evolution.