Robo-advice a risk for super funds
Superannuation funds must address several key risks as they digitally transform and implement artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and governance frameworks.
Speaking at an international business review webinar, Professor Matthew Kuperholz, chief data scientist, PwC, said technology like artificial intelligence was neither good, bad or neutral.
“It’s what we do with it that counts and we need to acknowledge that the accountabilities of being responsible with this technology… is squarely on us – the decision makers,” Kuperholz said.
He said super funds should start by assessing the performance risk of the AI by looking at whether it was stable, accurate, biased, morally, and legally acceptable and if it could be explained to members.
He said economic risks would also need to be considered.
“We're displacing people. We're changing the profile of the liabilities,” he said.
Trustees would need to account for security risks as well, according to Kuperholz, including the risk that the AI could be reverse engineered, used for nefarious reasons or have inadequate data security.
“Can we even detect that the AI has drifted and gone rogue?” Kuperholz said.
“If we change the shape of our workforce, how do we get people back in the loop when it's gone awry?”
Recommended for you
Financial Services Council chief executive, Blake Briggs, is urging Minister for Financial Services, Stephen Jones, to take advantage of the QAR opportunity to reduce regulatory duplication and ensure advice is affordable.
Former chair of the House of Representatives’ Standing Economics Committee, Tim Wilson, is planning a return to politics after losing his seat in the 2022 federal election.
Morningstar is going to offer research ratings of funds in the $3.5 trillion superannuation sector for the first time in response to demand from financial advisers.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has opened a consultation into the design of the annual superannuation performance test, canvassing views on a range of reform options.