narayan
In 2005, P90X exploded onto the scene with its now-iconic late-night infomercials, showing how everyday people could achieve ripped abs and total body transformation in just 90 days, all without setting foot in a gym. Led by the charismatic and energetic Tony Horton, the program combined intense workouts, nutritional guidance, and the appeal of a structured plan you could follow in the comfort of your own home. It became a cultural phenomenon. Millions of people, including members of Congress, dusted off their living room floors, unrolled yoga mats, and followed along to DVDs that promised to push them to their limits. I was one of them.
After noticing a little extra flab around my midsection during a vacation in 2009, I couldn’t ignore the infomercials any longer. I bought the DVDs, a set of dumbbells, and a pull-up bar, and got to work in my garage. And guess what? It worked. I lost 25 pounds in about four months.
The gym had always felt intimidating to me. Other than the treadmill, I didn’t know how to use any of the machines, and I had no idea which strength-training exercises were effective. P90X solved all that for me. I just had to show up, press play, and follow whatever the video told me to do that day. Plus, the variety of the daily workouts kept me engaged. I would have never designed something that dynamic for myself at the gym. I’d have ended up doing the same, boring routine every time and would not have kept at it very long.
At the time, it seemed like P90X had redefined the future of fitness. With its immense popularity, many (including myself) predicted the demise of traditional gyms and personal trainers. Why would anyone pay for gym memberships or hire trainers when they could get incredible results at home (without the sweaty equipment or awkwardness of passing strangers in the locker room)?
But then, life happened. I moved to New York City, where I no longer had a two-car garage to conduct my workouts. Suddenly I had two kids, a demanding job that required weekly travel, and a lot less free time. The weight came back and then some.
Fast forward a decade or so, and early last year, I decided it was time to shed the pounds again. I discovered P90X3 and jumped into it with enthusiasm, pairing it with a strict meal plan I found online. And it worked again! I lost 30 pounds in about five months.
But then, life happened (again). I injured my arm. It wasn’t serious, but it was enough to slow down my workouts, throwing off my routine. Once the workouts stopped, my meal plan fell apart, too. In the blink of an eye, I put on 15 pounds. That’s when I realized that “going it alone” wasn’t as easy as it sounds. When life throws a wrench into the picture, accountability tends to go out the window. Had I been working with a trainer to help me stay on track and adjust my workouts to accommodate my injury, I’m confident my chance of sustained success would have been much higher.
This same lesson applies to the current hype surrounding artificial intelligence in financial advising. There’s a growing belief that AI tools will make traditional financial advisors irrelevant. These platforms promise to simplify investing, budgeting, and financial planning, offering personalized recommendations for a fraction of the cost of working with an advisor. The technology is undeniably impressive and has the potential to make financial tools more accessible, especially for people just getting started. But just as P90X didn’t eliminate the need for gyms or trainers, AI won’t replace financial advisors entirely.
Do-it-yourselfers will undoubtedly leverage AI tools to manage their own portfolios. But DIYers need two things that AI doesn’t solve: the willingness and time to research, and the financial aptitude to fully understand the recommendations being provided. Will a busy 45-year-old CEO have the time or willingness to input data into an AI platform and properly execute the recommendations, no matter how clearly they are explained in an LLM output? Do-it-yourself tax software has been around for decades, yet we find ourselves in a massive shortage of qualified CPAs to process tax returns for millions of Americans who prefer to rely on the expertise of tax professionals.
My father, a retired Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, is the smartest man I know. He has more than enough time and willingness to manage his own finances, but he doesn’t understand why mutual fund prices don’t update intraday when he checks his portfolio throughout the day. He does not have the financial aptitude to manage his own finances, with or without AI.
For many Americans, finances are intimidating. The world of investing and financial planning is full of jargon, uncertainty, and risks. Much like fitness, achieving financial health doesn’t just require having the right tools; you also need the right support when life happens, and a figurative wrench is thrown into your perfect financial plan. An AI-powered financial platform can generate a portfolio or suggest a savings plan, but it can’t listen to your fears, understand your unique situation, or help you stay on track when life throws you a curveball.
The volatility of my weight going up and down is something I’ve learned to accept—after all, life happens. But I’d never want my financial portfolio to experience that kind of volatility. Just as I needed guidance and structure to stabilize my fitness journey, the same applies to managing finances. When it comes to money, stability and consistency are critical, and that’s not something most people can handle on their own, especially without the right support.
The truth is, humans crave connection, especially when tackling big, overwhelming challenges. Whether it’s fitness or finance, most people need someone in their corner—a coach, a trainer, or an advisor—who can provide accountability, reassurance, and personalized guidance. AI will absolutely transform the financial industry, just like P90X transformed the fitness world. But it won’t replace the human connection that so many of us rely on for success. Because life happens, and when it does, no matter how advanced the tools are, we need someone to help us get back on track.
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