Inside the Asian Institute of Management, Joseph Plazo—founder of the algorithmic trading firm Plazo Sullivan Roche—broke the rhythm of praise for AI with a moment of reckoning.

MANILA — What he offered instead was something rarely heard in AI circles: resistance.

“Profit isn’t the only thing on the line. So is principle.”

???? **He Built the Bot. But He’s Not Sure We’re Ready for It.**

Plazo is not new to this space. His firm’s AI systems have posted a 99% win rate across key timeframes and are in use by institutional clients across Europe and Asia.

And yet, his concern is clear: accuracy means little without accountability.

“AI can optimise a mistake to perfection if no one stops it.”

He shared a case from the early days of the pandemic. One of his firm’s bots flagged a short on gold just before the U.S. Federal Reserve issued an emergency policy shift.

“We overrode it. It was a machine doing math, not reading history.”

???? **Machines Act Fast. But Leadership Sometimes Waits.**

In elite financial circles, speed is often glorified.

“We must remember that a moment of hesitation can protect reputations—and futures.”

Plazo introduced a framework he calls **“Conviction Calculus”**—three questions that must be asked before executing an AI recommendation:

- Who takes responsibility if the code is flawless—but the outcome disastrous?
- Is there non-digital confirmation? What do experience, memory, and culture say?
- Does leadership end when the model takes over?

???? **Asia’s Race Toward AI Could Be Missing Its Compass**

Across Asia, read more nations are investing heavily in fintech and AI-driven innovation. From Singapore to South Korea, the push toward automation is framed as economic strategy.

But Plazo’s question cuts deeper: “AI is moving capital—but is it moving it in the right direction?”

He cited the 2024 collapse of two Hong Kong hedge funds.

“No one made a mistake. But no one questioned the machine either.”

???? **The Alternative: Narrative AI That Considers More Than Numbers**

Plazo is not anti-AI. He’s pro-responsibility.

His firm is developing what he calls **“narrative-integrated AI”**—models that factor in geopolitics, tone, and social context alongside market data.

“We don’t need more speed. We need better questions.”

That idea is already drawing attention.

One investor called Plazo’s talk:

“A blueprint for ethical AI in an unequal world.”

???? **What Happens When No One Says ‘Stop’**

Plazo ended with a thought that may echo across boardrooms:

“We won’t be victims of chaos—but of unchecked confidence.”

Not a warning against AI—but a demand for wisdom to go with it.

Because when machines take over the trades, conscience cannot be coded out.