Within a decade, the form factor for computing will radically change from staring at screens with flat imagery, to participating in embedded virtual worlds with fully navigable, hyper-realistic environments. Those environments will be filled with software agents, some hybrid human and others entirely AI, that are entirely unrecognizable as anything but real to 90% of the population.
UBS has partnered with Amazon to utilize Amazon's Alexa artificial intelligence (AI) for a pilot program with wealth management clients in the UK; Alexa will provide answers on inquiries about wealth management topics and the economy for clients through several devices; the partnership follows a trend toward use of artificial intelligence in the wealth management industry and a deal by UBS with robo adviser SigFig for account services; Alexa's AI capabilities offer a cost efficient way to provide information and standardized advice for wealth management clients. Source
StatPro acquired UBS' Delta platform for EUR 13 million ($13.7 million); news of the deal caused shares in the AIM listed StatPro to jump 10%; the deal will help StatPro to reach scale in terms of revenue and clients according to StatPro's CEO Justin Wheatley; the transaction shows that not only banks are able to acquire or partner with fintech firms, but fintech firms can look to acquire parts of a bank as well; in an interview with Business Insider Wheatley explained, "Acquisitions are part of our strategy, however in the short term this is a very big deal for StatPro — it adds 40% to our revenues — I think we'll be digesting this lump for a little while before we carry on but I certainly wouldn't rule out any more deals later on." Source
In this conversation, we talk with Paul Rowady, who is the Director of Research for Alphacution Research Conservatory. Paul has a deep background in capital markets, derivatives, and the macro structure of the industry. He has been uncovering the transformation of that structure with data driven analyses, making visible the economics of market makers like Citadel and retail order flow aggregators like Robinhood. This is a rich discussion of what trading stocks is really like. And make sure to check out Alphacution.
