Despite seeing their potential, generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) does not think AI advisers have all of the answers at present.
This is according to panellists who were asked whether this generation would ever trust an AI adviser during a debate at Protect Z 2025 at UnderwriteMe’s offices in London yesterday.
AI can assist us
“It can really help and assist us as humans,” Amelia Love, marketing manager at MetLife UK (pictured centre), told the audience.
“But especially as an individual, if I was to seek financial advice, I don’t think I would trust an AI, a robot, to give that advice,” she continued.
“I think potentially financial advisers can use it as a tool like we use comparison sites now to guide advice, but I don’t see where we would be totally reliant on AI.”
Uncomfortable speaking to a bot
Rebecca Campbell, account director at LifeSearch (pictured left), maintained that people with health conditions would not be comfortable speaking to a bot.
“For me personally, I would take it so far, but then I would always have to do the extra check at the end to see if that is definitely right,” Campbell continued.
Good for mundane tasks
Beth Southcott, senior marketing executive at UnderwriteMe (pictured right), agreed, adding: “It’s good for mundane tasks that you don’t want to do.
“I think that’s useful, but even then you need to sense-check it.
“If I use ChatGPT or anything like that, I wouldn’t just take it as it is, I would double check is what it’s telling me correct? Or has it written something in the right way?
“Because it needs something else. You can’t just take it as it is when you use AI in anything that you do.”
Entry level roles
The subject of AI was returned to in a subsequent debate where Gabrielle Best, service operations manager at Cirencester Friendly, maintained AI will never completely replace entry level roles despite evidence the technology is increasingly removing this route into careers for young people.
“It’s definitely a concern, but I don’t think AI will stop these roles,” Best said.
“My company has recently launched an apprenticeship scheme. That’s across the business at business admin level roles.
“They also have IT roles in website development, but usually they look for people with qualifications and experience.”
Underestimating on the job learning
Best added that she thought people often underestimate learning on the job and the passion and the hard work young people put in.
“It was a risk taking on apprentices,” she continued. “But our two in our team have been so successful and they’re like sponges taking all the information in.”