We'll turn to a lot of sources when we're looking for help about money. You might prefer a website, or a family member, or a human professional. One newer option that's finding its feet: AI.
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There are all kinds of chatbots springing up to help consumers manage their income, investments, and savings. It's becoming more normal to rely on systems like Siri, Alexa, or Bixby to get through our day, so it only makes sense that robots would offer support in concerns about money. Given what a sensitive and sometimes overwhelming subject it is, you'd think we'd place a premium on interacting with a kind and patient artificial expert.
That's not actually the case, though: These chatbots are taking more of a gruff best friend approach. One will "roast" you on request, maligning the way you do adulthood, and supplies answers along the lines of "Here are the companies bleeding you dry."
There may be some wisdom in this approach. Research suggests that the best way to learn from your mistakes is to actually sit with your feelings after. This is a key part of getting back on track after a financial screw-up. Many of us find money in general (and investing in particular) basically intimidating. It might help that some of our best sources for financial advice come from the people who know us best. Getting up to speed on personal finance could just be a matter of hearing it laid in your own kind of voice.
