How Financial Advisors Should Actually Be Using AI

In this episode of Advisor Talk, Frank LaRosa and Stacey Frank take a grounded, advisor-first look at how AI is actually changing the profession - and why the future of advice is still fundamentally human.Rather than fearing AI, Frank explains why this moment closely mirrors the rise of online trading in the early 2000s - a shift that many believed would eliminate advisors, but ultimately made great advisors even more valuable.This conversation centers on a critical idea:Technology can provide data. Only humans can provide wisdom.Frank and Stacey break down how AI can enhance efficiency, buy back time, and improve service - while also exposing advisors who rely solely on technology without building real client relationships.They also introduce the concept of co-intelligence - where advisors use AI as a tool, not a replacement  and explain why empathy, clarity, and human judgment remain the true differentiators in financial advice.Key questions explored in this episode:Will AI put financial advisors out of business?No. But it will challenge advisors who lack a strong service model or meaningful client relationships.Why doesn’t AI replace the advisor-client relationship?Because clients don’t hire advisors for calculations - they hire them for clarity, reassurance, and guidance through uncertainty.How should advisors be using AI today?As a way to remove friction, automate tasks, and free up time to focus on deeper client conversations and better service.What is “co-intelligence”?A mindset where AI delivers information, while advisors provide judgment, empathy, and leadership.What happens to advisors who ignore AI altogether?They risk falling behind firms that use technology to become more efficient - and more human - at the same time.If you’re a financial advisor wondering how AI fits into your practice - or worried about what it means for your future - this episode offers perspective, clarity, and a practical way forward.Chapters:00:49 – Intro02:55 – Online Trading Parallel04:40 – AI Fear05:30 – Human Advice08:47 – Co-Intelligence10:46 – Clarity vs Calculators12:58 – Human Advantage16:25 – Service WinsLearn more about Elite and our resources:Elite Consulting Partners | Financial Advisor Transitionshttps://eliteconsultingpartners.comElite Marketing Concepts | Marketing Services for Financial Advisorshttps://elitemarketingconcepts.comElite Advisor Successions | Advisor Mergers & Acquisitionshttps://eliteadvisorsuccessions.comJEDI Database Solutions | Technology Solutions for Advisorshttps://jedidatabasesolutions.comListen to more Advisor Talk episodes:https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/podcasts/