AI Support
Every January brings a familiar ritual. Gym memberships spike, refrigerators fill with good intentions, and we promise ourselves that this will finally be the year we get things right. This year, however, there’s a new resolution being aggressively marketed to all of us: let artificial intelligence change your life.
If you spend any time on social media, you’ve seen the posts. Someone claims they asked one AI program for 100,000 business ideas, another to write 100,000 business plans, a third to build 100,000 websites, and suddenly they’re collecting passive income so large it would make the Federal Reserve blush. The message is clear: if you’re not rich yet, you simply haven’t typed the right prompt.
It’s entertaining. It’s clever. And it’s almost entirely nonsense.
That doesn’t mean AI isn’t useful. It is. In fact, it’s remarkably good at certain things. It can summarize documents, draft emails, organize information, and help people move faster through tasks that used to take far too long. Used properly, it can be a productivity tool that frees up time for better decisions and deeper thinking.
What it is not is a replacement for judgment, discipline, or experience.
For those of us who have lived through multiple “guaranteed” revolutions—dot-com stocks, house flipping shows, day trading chat rooms, cryptocurrency promises—the pattern feels familiar. The technology changes, but the psychology does not. We are always looking for a shortcut, especially when a new year invites us to believe reinvention should be easy.
Real progress, financially and personally, has never worked that way.
We don’t pursue secure retirements by chasing every new trend. We pursue them through consistent saving, diversification, patience, and an understanding of risk. We didn’t improve our health by buying gadgets alone. We did it by showing up, day after day, even when motivation faded.
AI doesn’t change those fundamentals. It can support them, but it can’t replace them.
Perhaps the better New Year’s resolution for 2026 isn’t to “let AI change your life,” but to use it thoughtfully. Use it to clarify ideas, not outsource responsibility. Use it to save time, then invest that time where it matters most: relationships, planning, learning, and living with intention.
If AI really worked the way social media suggests, none of us would still be working—and the people posting about it certainly wouldn’t be doing so for free.
So as the calendar turns, here’s a resolution worth keeping: be curious, but skeptical. Open to new tools, but grounded in reality. Progress still compounds the same way it always has—slowly, steadily, and with purpose.
And if a chatbot helps you write a better grocery list or finally organize your files, consider that a win. Just don’t expect it to replace the wisdom earned over a lifetime.
Evan R. Guido, Senior Wealth Advisor, is the Founder of Aksala Wealth Advisors LLC, a 2026 Forbes Best in State Wealth Advisor, a 2018 Forbes Top Next-Gen Advisors award recipient. Evan heads a team of financial strategists for clients who consider themselves the “Millionaire Next Door.” He can be reached at 941-500-5122 Aksala.com eguido@aksalawealth.com 6260 Lake Osprey Dr. Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240. Securities offered through Cetera Wealth Services, LLC member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, a registered investment adviser. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity. The views and opinions presented in this article are those of Evan R. Guido and not of Cetera or its subsidiaries. These opinions are based on Evan’s observations and research and are not intended to predict or depict performance of any investment. These views are subject to change based on subsequent developments. Information is based on sources believed to be reliable; however, their accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. These views should not be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any securities and purely for education and entertainment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The Top Next Gen list includes 250 rising advisors who help manage over $490 billion in client assets. Each advisor was nominated by their firm, then vetted and ranked by SHOOK Research. The rankings, developed by SHOOK Research, are based on an algorithm of qualitative criterion, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. Those advisors who are considered have a minimum of four years' experience and the algorithm weighs factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass the highest standards of best practices. The Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative data, rating thousands of wealth advisors with a minimum of seven years' experience and weighing factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience, and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings. Listings in these publications and/or awards are not guarantees of future investment success. These recognitions should not be construed as endorsements of the advisor by any clients. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient for participation or in connection with obtaining or using these third-party ratings or award. A diversified portfolio does not assure a profit or protect against loss in a declining market.