Prayer is often misunderstood because it is often oversimplified. People talk about it as if it is a technique, a ritual, or a formula that works if performed correctly. But prayer is not a system to master. It is a relationship to enter. It is not something you do to God; it is something you do with Him. And once that distinction settles into your heart, prayer stops feeling like pressure and starts feeling like permission.

Most people don’t struggle with believing that prayer exists. They struggle with believing it matters. They wonder whether their words actually travel anywhere, whether their quiet thoughts make a difference, whether their tears count as language. And that doubt usually grows in the space between praying and waiting. When answers don’t come quickly, when circumstances don’t change immediately, when silence stretches longer than comfort, prayer can begin to feel like effort without evidence.

But prayer was never meant to be measured by speed. It was meant to be measured by connection.

Prayer begins long before words form. It begins in the awareness that you are not self-sufficient. That awareness is not weakness; it is clarity. Prayer is the soul admitting that it was never designed to carry life alone. We were created for dependence, not dominance. The modern world glorifies independence, but faith begins with surrender. Prayer is the moment we stop pretending we can save ourselves.

There is something profoundly honest about prayer when it is stripped of performance. When you no longer feel the need to impress God with polished language or spiritual vocabulary, prayer becomes real. Real prayer sounds like exhaustion. It sounds like hope mixed with fear. It sounds like gratitude tangled with grief. It sounds like a person showing up without armor.

Prayer is not about presenting your best self. It is about presenting your true self.

This is where many people get stuck. They think prayer requires spiritual confidence, when in reality prayer produces it. They think prayer is something strong people do, when it is often the birthplace of strength itself. You do not pray because you are confident; you pray because you are not. You pray because something inside you knows that what you have is not enough.

And that knowledge is sacred.

Prayer is the place where control loosens its grip. When you pray, you are admitting that you cannot dictate outcomes, manipulate timing, or force resolution. That can feel terrifying at first, especially for people who are used to fixing things. But prayer is not about losing control; it is about transferring it. It is about placing weight onto shoulders that were actually designed to carry it.

When you pray, you are not informing God of something He does not know. You are aligning yourself with what He already sees. Prayer doesn’t change God’s awareness; it changes your posture. It repositions you from resistance to trust, from panic to patience, from isolation to presence.

Presence is one of the most overlooked aspects of prayer. Many people pray for answers when what they need first is assurance. Prayer does not always bring explanation, but it consistently brings companionship. And companionship in the middle of uncertainty is not a small gift. It is often the difference between despair and endurance.

There are seasons when prayer feels natural and seasons when it feels forced. Both matter. Prayer spoken through joy and prayer whispered through exhaustion are equally heard. Heaven does not weigh prayers by emotional strength. It listens for sincerity. Some of the most powerful prayers ever prayed were not confident declarations but trembling admissions.

Help me. I don’t understand. I’m tired. I trust You anyway.

These are not weak prayers. They are brave ones.

Prayer has a way of revealing what truly matters to us. When we slow down long enough to pray, we often discover that what we thought we needed was not actually what our soul was asking for. Prayer peels back layers. It exposes motives. It brings clarity where noise once lived. That clarity can be uncomfortable because it often calls us to change before circumstances do.

This is why prayer transforms people even when situations remain the same. It reshapes the interior landscape. It softens hardness, strengthens resolve, and teaches patience in a culture addicted to immediacy. Prayer retrains the heart to trust timing it cannot control.

Waiting is not wasted time in prayer. Waiting is where trust is built. Silence after prayer is not rejection; it is often invitation. An invitation to remain. To listen. To grow roots instead of chasing results.

So many people give up on prayer because they mistake quiet for absence. But silence does not mean God has stepped away. It often means He is working beyond what you can see. Some answers take time because they require alignment across people, circumstances, and hearts. Some prayers are answered slowly because the person praying is still being prepared.

Prayer does not rush maturity.

There is also a misconception that prayer should always make us feel better. While prayer often brings peace, it sometimes brings conviction. It may challenge habits, confront pride, or expose fear. That discomfort is not failure; it is refinement. Prayer is not a soothing ritual designed to keep life unchanged. It is an invitation into transformation.

When you pray consistently, you begin to notice subtle shifts. You respond differently. You speak differently. You endure differently. You may still face the same challenges, but you face them with a steadiness that did not exist before. This is the quiet strength prayer builds over time.

Prayer is also deeply personal. It is not meant to look identical in every life. Some people pray through words. Others pray through silence. Some pray through journaling. Others through walking, singing, or simply sitting in awareness. What matters is not the method but the openness. Prayer thrives where honesty lives.

You do not need perfect faith to pray. You need willingness. You do not need certainty. You need sincerity. God is not waiting for you to become stronger before listening. He listens because you are His.

There is something deeply grounding about knowing that you are heard even when you do not feel understood by anyone else. Prayer provides a place where explanation is unnecessary. Where vulnerability is safe. Where you do not have to earn attention. That alone is healing.

Over time, prayer begins to shift how you see difficulty. Instead of asking only for escape, you begin to ask for endurance. Instead of demanding clarity, you begin to value growth. Instead of fearing hardship, you begin to trust that it is not meaningless. Prayer reframes suffering without minimizing it.

This does not mean prayer removes pain. It means pain no longer has the final word.

Prayer teaches you to live with open hands. To release outcomes. To trust that what is unfolding is not random, even when it feels confusing. That trust is not blind optimism. It is grounded confidence rooted in relationship.

The deeper you go in prayer, the less you feel the need to impress anyone else. Approval loses power. Comparison fades. You become anchored in something steady instead of chasing validation. Prayer reshapes identity.

And identity shapes everything.

As prayer becomes less about requests and more about relationship, you begin to recognize God’s presence in ordinary moments. In breath. In stillness. In unexpected peace. Prayer does not confine God to quiet corners of your day. It opens your eyes to His nearness everywhere.

Eventually, prayer becomes less something you schedule and more something you carry. It becomes a posture rather than a practice. A constant awareness that you are not alone, not unseen, not unsupported.

This is the quiet power of prayer. Not that it guarantees easy answers, but that it guarantees presence. And presence changes how you walk through everything.

This is only the beginning of what prayer unfolds over time. Its depth is not discovered quickly. It is discovered faithfully.

If prayer were only about asking for things, most people would eventually grow disillusioned. Requests unanswered. Timelines unmet. Outcomes different from expectation. But prayer was never meant to be a transaction. It was meant to be a transformation. And the longer you stay with it, the more you begin to understand that prayer is shaping you in ways you could not have planned for yourself.

One of the quiet truths about prayer is that it exposes what we truly trust. When life is smooth, prayer can feel optional. But when life presses in, prayer becomes instinct. It reveals where our confidence really rests. In those moments, prayer is less about theology and more about survival. It is the soul reaching for something solid when everything else feels unstable.

Prayer teaches you how to remain instead of escape. Our culture trains us to avoid discomfort at all costs. To distract ourselves. To numb ourselves. To run from anything that feels heavy. Prayer does the opposite. It invites you to stay present. To bring the weight with you rather than abandoning it. To trust that God is not afraid of what you are carrying.

This is why prayer often feels hardest when it matters most. Sitting with God in uncertainty requires courage. It requires resisting the urge to demand quick answers. It requires believing that being held is sometimes more important than being explained to. Prayer teaches patience not by lecturing it into existence, but by asking you to practice it.

Over time, prayer reshapes your expectations. You begin to notice that some prayers are answered not by removing the burden, but by strengthening your back. Not by changing the path, but by changing your stride. Not by fixing everything immediately, but by giving you the resilience to keep walking.

There is a humility that prayer cultivates that nothing else can. When you pray honestly, you acknowledge limits. You acknowledge dependency. You acknowledge that control was never yours to begin with. That humility does not diminish you; it grounds you. It places you in reality rather than illusion.

Prayer also has a way of slowing life down. It interrupts the constant urgency that tells you everything must be solved right now. In prayer, you learn to breathe again. You learn that not every question needs an immediate answer, and not every tension needs immediate resolution. Some things unfold best when given time.

This is why prayer and trust are inseparable. Prayer without trust becomes anxiety disguised as spirituality. Trust without prayer becomes self-reliance with religious language. Together, they form a posture of openness. A willingness to be led rather than driven.

Prayer is not always dramatic. In fact, most of its power is quiet. It works beneath the surface, like roots growing where no one can see. And just like roots, its impact is revealed later. In stability. In endurance. In the ability to stand when storms arrive.

There will be moments when prayer feels dry. When words feel empty. When motivation disappears. These seasons are not signs of failure. They are invitations to remain faithful even without emotional reward. Prayer does not require inspiration; it requires presence. Sometimes the most meaningful prayer is simply showing up.

God does not measure prayer by eloquence or enthusiasm. He measures it by honesty. A distracted prayer is still heard. A weary prayer still matters. A confused prayer still counts. You do not need to feel close to God for prayer to be effective. Prayer is often the bridge that brings closeness back.

As prayer deepens, you may notice your language changing. Less demanding. More listening. Less bargaining. More surrender. This shift does not mean you stop asking. It means your asking becomes rooted in trust rather than fear. You still bring desires, but you hold them with open hands.

Prayer also teaches discernment. It sharpens awareness. You begin to sense when something is not aligned. When a door is closing for a reason. When waiting is protection rather than punishment. Prayer gives you eyes to see beyond immediate disappointment.

One of the most overlooked effects of prayer is how it changes how you treat others. When you spend time in honest prayer, empathy grows. Patience increases. Judgment softens. You become more aware of how much grace you receive, and that awareness spills outward. Prayer reshapes relationships by reshaping the heart.

Prayer is not an escape from responsibility. It is preparation for it. It does not replace action; it grounds it. The strongest action often flows from a prayerful posture because it is rooted in clarity rather than reaction. Prayer helps you move from impulse to intention.

And prayer reminds you that you are seen. Even when no one else understands the full weight of what you carry, prayer provides a place where nothing needs to be explained. Where silence is understood. Where tears are language enough. That sense of being known without needing to perform is profoundly healing.

Eventually, prayer stops feeling like something you do and starts feeling like someone you are with. It becomes less about moments and more about awareness. Less about speaking and more about abiding. You begin to live from prayer rather than visit it.

This does not mean life becomes easy. It means life becomes anchored. You still face loss, disappointment, and uncertainty. But you face them with a deeper steadiness. With a confidence that does not depend on circumstances cooperating. With a peace that does not require everything to make sense.

Prayer does not guarantee outcomes. It guarantees presence. And presence is often what carries us through when answers are slow in coming.

If you stay with prayer long enough, you will one day look back and see how it was shaping you all along. How it was strengthening your faith quietly. How it was teaching you to trust without proof. How it was preparing you for things you did not yet know you would face.

Prayer is not about getting everything right. It is about staying connected. Staying honest. Staying open.

And that is where its power truly lives.

Your friend, Douglas Vandergraph

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#002282 – 28 de Agosto de 2025

Moonhaven dá-me a impressão nítida de ter recebido alguma inspiração do Those Who Walkaway from Omelas, da Ursula K. Le Guin.

Uma boa parte das histórias sci-fi, mesmo das boas, sobre utopias são a repetição de um mesmo enredo: um grupo, sociedade ou experiência social é aparentemente saudável e conducente à prosperidade dos indivíduos que colectivamente se associaram, mas cedo se revelam os podres do comportamento humano, que basicamente mostram que nenhum tipo de organização se pode sustentar com base na boa vontade e na liberdade. Parecem-me sempre uma reinvenção dos argumentos mais básicos contra o anarquismo e que geralmente partem de assunções erradas sobre o que propõe o anarquismo.

Mas nada disso acontece nesta história. As intrigas políticas e os interesses que conspiram para conquistar o poder neste enredo são relevantes e esclarecedores. Fico muito curioso para saber como as próximas temporadas evoluem.

#002281 – 27 de Agosto de 2025

Walkaway foi escrito por Cory Doctorow 14 anos depois de Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. E parece encontrar uma solução para alguns dos problemas que uma sociedade com tecnologia suficientemente poderosa para grupos de pessoas serem quase autosuficientes encontra. Sobretudo a ameaça que um grupo se aproprie dos recursos que outro grupo construiu.

#002280 – 26 de Agosto de 2025

Uma mulher acerta-me com a mochila antes de se sentar à minha frente no metro. Olha para trás e trocamos um sorriso de desculpa e não há problema. Um par de minutos depois fala ao telefone e a voz dela dá um timbre grave ao italiano que fala, que me surpreende por ter aumentado tanto quão atraente me parece. Depois retira um e-book reader e ficámos os dois a ler cada um o seu ebook. É curioso como a voz é uma parte tão importante do encanto de uma pessoa.

Amidst a cascade of light and time, a visionary crafts his dreams for 2025, blending art and aspiration in his timeless sanctuary.

I thought I would give a roundup from my point of view for 2025 and share some thoughts on 2026.

2025 brought so many new things for me. I left InMotion Hosting and WordPress after 9 years with them. I probably would still be with them if it weren't for three factors. First, they had given me a discount for three years, and when it expired, they would not renew it and offered me nothing. Second, they had switched to a new spam email system called MailChannels that was more concerned with outgoing spam instead of incoming spam. I think they started to concentrate on outgoing spam because of complaints coming in. The last issue was WordPress. I started to get the same feeling of craziness from the owner/co-owner that I got from Elon Musk.

I moved to Write.as and thought I would like it. I had been trying it out before I left InMotion Hosting. I purchased a 6-year stint up front after trying it for about 3 months on the free version. But I soon learned it was not all that I had hoped for. I went to Micro.blog, and even though it had a shorter trial, I really liked it and saw how outdated Write.as was. I really liked, and still like, what Manton Reece is doing. So I changed from InMotion Hosting to Micro.blog and MXRoute for email hosting (as Micro.blog doesn't offer that and InMotion Hosting had the whole bundle). Both services have been fantastic, and both are owned and operated by individuals, not corporations, and both care about their service. I will be making a detailed post about these services coming up in the new year for a one-year usage review.

2025 also brought many health-related issues. I have Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM for short). Here is a good video that explains it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oblQE0LNbf8

. So I went on a medication called Camzyos (you have probably seen the TV commercials for it). It has worked as far as I am concerned, but my doctors tell me the obstruction is worse upon exertion. So I have two options now, both explained again by Tufts Medical videos pretty well. The first way has a 90 percent rate of success of relieving the problem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxX6jvdiHk8

but is also the riskiest, takes a long time to recover from, and is very invasive. The other procedure has a 70 to 80 percent chance of eliminating or reducing the problem upon exertion and is less invasive, but has a higher risk of not working

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ4-mH7R-XE

. My eyeglass prescription changed in March and was great, but nine months later it feels worse than before. I already need a new prescription, and the cataract in my right eye is interfering with my eyesight. Hoping that improves in 2026 too. So as you can see, this has been a most challenging year for my health. But it isn't all bad news. My type 2 diabetes has been under great control, and I have lost 35 pounds, going from 255 lbs to 220 lbs.

Also in 2025, I got really into self-hosting and am preparing to get rid of a lot of big tech in 2026, if the DRAM crisis doesn't get ahold of me. Storage-wise, I have taken steps and gotten ahead of this looming crisis. I have a couple more things I want to do and get regarding storage. But, more to come on all that later.

As for 2026, I am hoping to maintain my weight and improve my health, especially my heart and eyes. I am also hoping the political and economic uncertainty settles down. I am looking forward to completing the buildout and population of my Plex server, continuing my self-hosting journey, and working on custom software to make my home life balance and personal goals just work. I am also looking forward to seeing how AI will factor into all of this in a positive way, instead of a negative way like the DRAM crisis it has caused.

So while 2025 has not been a bad year or a great year, it was an okay year. Not one of my worst, but not one of my best either. Hopefully, prayerfully, and blessedly, 2026 will be a great year, not just for me but for you too. Here's to 2026!

#personal

Hadès Palace est le sixième roman appartenant au cycle romanesque Le Rêve du Démiurge de Francis Berthelot.

Paris, début 1979. Maxime Algeiba est le mime-serpent, un jeune artiste au talent exceptionnel. Aussi est-il contacté par l'imprésario de l'Hadès Palace, demeure tentaculaire au luxe magnétique, palais prestigieux où les grands du monde se pressent pour assister aux représentations du gratin artistique international. Comment refuser pareille offre : un contrat au sein d'un lieu aussi mythique ? C'est un tremplin, une occasion inespérée. Pourtant, une fois logé dans les dorures du Palace, Maxime ne tarde pas à remarquer des faits étranges. Pourquoi ces hommes armés qui quadrillent théâtres et couloirs ? Et ce malaise qui pétrifie Maxime dès qu'il s'éloigne dans les jardins alentour ; cette terreur sourde qui paraît régner chez les artistes ; ou encore ces « trois cercles » évoqués à demi-mot par certains ? Des questions qui ne trouveront réponse qu'une fois percés les secrets du Palace.

Le roman met en scène Maxime Algeiba, le frère d’Ivan que nous avions suivi dans Le jeu du cormoran. Maxime a quitté le cirque familial pour entamer une carrière artistique comme mime et contorsionniste dans un petit cabaret parisien. Repéré par un agent, il accepte de rejoindre le mythique Hadès Palace. Maxime voit cela comme une opportunité inespérée, même si le lecteur se doute bien que cette chance peut vite se retourner et devenir un piège.

Hormis la présence de Maxime comme protagoniste, ce roman semble moins lié aux précédents, même si Constantin, dont nous suivions les derniers mois de la vie dans Le jongleur interrompu, est évoqué rapidement dans le récit. Par contre, la progression du cycle vers le fantastique se poursuit, on a désormais clairement dépassé les frontières de la littérature blanche.

Le résultat est très bon, avec ce récit autour de l’art, de la quête de la perfection et de l’immortalité, et de la perversion ou au contraire de la pureté des âmes humaines. J’ai hâte de découvrir où Francis Berthelot va nous mener dans les trois derniers romans du cycle.

Mal kleinere, mal größere,

mal glatte, mal schaumige Wellen

schlagen ans Ufer.

Möwen kreischen über den Köpfen.

Mal brennt die Sonne heiß vom Himmel herab,

mal senkt sich Nebel über die Landschaft

und lässt sie vollständig darin versinken.

Mal brandet das Meer wild und laut,

mal ruht es still wie ein See.

Im Kreislauf der Natur.

Tag für Tag.

Aufs Gleiche.

Immer aufs Neue.

Zeit-Los.

Die Zeit zwischen den Jahren beginnt damit, dass ich Zahlen an Kalenderblättern abschneide. Im Frühling habe ich mir einen Kunstkalender gekauft, den es im örtlichen Buchladen zu einem reduzierten Preis gab.

Die Kunst ist zeitlos.

Während ich die abgeschnittene Kunst zum Gemälde von Edvard Munch “Inger am Strand” über meinem Schreibplatz hänge, sodass sich meine Schreibstube in eine kleine Galerie verwandelt, denke ich an eine Praktikantin, mit der ich vor einer Weile zusammen gearbeitet habe: eine junge Frau mit diversen Piercings und Gothic-Kleidung, die darüber nachdachte, sich eine Ratte für die Schulter anzuschaffen.

Sie las Rilke.

Und hatte mir damit einiges voraus.

Seit meiner Reise ins Künstlerdorf #Worpswede tue ich es auch.

Sie war für mich eine Influencerin.

Was ich an Rilke mag, ist seine Vielseitigkeit. Er war ein Kosmopolit. Er ist in Prag geboren, hat Russland bereist und in Paris gelebt. Er hat zahlreiche Briefe geschrieben und sich zu Politik, Dichtung und Kunst im Allgemeinen geäussert. Er schrieb Briefe mit Ellen Key, einer skandinavischen Reformpädagogin, die durch ihr Werk “Das Jahrhundert des Kindes“ bekannt geworden ist: „Briefwechsel mit Ellen Key“. Er äusserte sich in zahlreichen Briefen zur Politik.

Wenn ich auf meine kleine Kunst-Galerie über dem Schreibplatz schaue, frage ich mich, wie es sein kann, dass diese Künstler:innen, die um die Wende des 20. Jahrhunderts einzuordnen sind, Dichter:innen und Denker:innen wie Rilke, die Frauen von Worpswede und Reformpädagoginnen wie Ellen Key, noch zu modern für unsere Zeit sein können.

Immer noch gerne Piano-Anfängerin.

Laut meiner Habit-Tracker-App, einer dieser kleinen hübschen Technologien, die mein Leben bereichern, habe ich in diesem Jahr an 322 Tagen Klavier gespielt.

Kopf und Finger sollen zusammenwirken, einen Klang erzeugen, besser noch: harmonische Klänge. Und bestenfalls sollen diese Klänge Musik sein.

Auch wenn es Tage gibt, an denen mir der Kopf raucht und die Finger einfach nicht so wollen, wie sie sollen, ist die tägliche Klavierstunde eine schöne Zeit.

Wenn ich Klavier spiele, erlebe ich mich selbst als Anfängerin. Es ist verheißungsvoll. Ein Abenteuer. So wie das neue Jahr, das nun beginnt.

Hören & Lesen.

Während Virginia Woolf am Silvestertag in ihr Tagebuch schreibt:

„Morgen ist ein neues Jahr, und ich empfinde diesen sonderbaren, lieblichen Gedanken des Neubeginns.“

erlebt Svea in Ich will dies, das und dich, dass ihre Vorsatzliste für das neue Jahr in falsche Hände gerät, was zu einer amüsanten Liebesgeschichte führt, die bei Libby zu finden ist.

Auf dem Bücherstapel liegt noch eine Reihe von Büchern, die ich in diesem Jahr nicht ausgelesen habe: Roger Fry von Virginia Woolf, Amerika Tag und Nacht von Simone de Beauvoir, neu: die Tagebücher von Rudi Dutschke.

In diesem Jahr habe ich mir angewöhnt, mehr Blogs und weniger Nachrichten zu lesen. Blogs, die ich in diesem Jahr gerne gelesen habe:

• Gedanken der Öcherin
• Buddenbohm & Söhne
• fortlaufend
• LandLebenBlog
• Pressepfarrerin
• Schreiblehrling
• sinnundverstand

Und die ultimative Silvester-Playlist ist in diesem Jahr:

• Auld Lang Syne
• Alt wie ein Baum (Puhdys)
• America (Simone & Garfunkel)
• Shake it off (Taylor Swift)
• Mensch (Herbert Grönemeyer)
• Am Strande (Clara Schumann & Heinrich Heine)
• Leuchtturm (Nena)
• Imagine (John Lennon)
• Freude schöner Götterfunken (Ludwig van Beethoven)
• Was keiner wagt (Konstantin Wecker & Hannes Wader)
• People have the power (Patti Smith)
• Wenn Träume sterben (Puhdys)
• Ostseelied (Hildegard Knef)
• Auf das, was da noch kommt (Lotte & Max Giesinger)

I have been doing some practice this morning. My White Crane and Fut Gar. Creating explosions from my lower dantian and weaving buzz saw energy from my arms as I drift through all distances.

Kick, punch, knee, elbow takedown. Grounding my body into the earth and generating power from that. I feel the fascia in my belly tightening like a drum.

I want to know what my highest passion is in this current moment?

como un toro raspado se fue quedando y sin ganas hasta que una tarde / furioso comprendió que las puertas que de verdad importan se abren sólo a golpe de corazón

I get to see E in just 2 more days. It’s been almost a month away from her and I miss her so much, I miss the feeling of hugging her, seeing her smile, the smell of her, her hair tickling my face and getting in my mouth, I miss picking her up and so much more. God I just want her in my arms so badly.

The difference between the British and Americans is like the difference between tea and coffee. I mean, let’s not talk about the Boston Tea Party. Let’s not talk about how the king was taxing them over 10% of their wages, and they, the early colonizers, became gruff and spilled all the king’s tea into the Boston Harbor. Can you imagine if that happened today? First of all, we’re taxed 20%, at least, of our wages.

Then the money that’s already been taxed is taxed again at the grocery store. It’s taxed again when you buy a car, buy a house. It’s taxed when you’re brought into this world, because you pay taxes on top of the pediatricians and gynecologists and everybody who brings a baby out of the womb into the world and slaps its little butt. But you’re also taxed at death. If those Boston Tea Party members was around today, I hate to think what would happen.

But let’s get back to the metaphor, shall we? The difference between the British and Americans is the difference between tea and coffee. Tea is something you sip slowly and it makes you feel good, especially green tea, or chamomile right before bed. The British have this thing called tea time. Americans don’t have coffee time. They might have coffee with their breakfast. They might go out and eat breakfast with some friends and have coffee.

But there is a complete difference. Coffee is like a nuclear explosion of wakefulness. Americans don’t have time for pitter-patter, for chitter-chatter. Americans don’t have time for tea time. Americans just wanna get blasted with wakefulness so they can go and do their grind. They got a hustle to do. They gotta wake up. They gotta be alert. They ain’t got time to trip into work and be sleepy and yawning.

No, they need something to hit the veins with caffeine-laced wakefulness, and get out of my way, and road rage all the way to work, and road rage all the way home. “How was your day, honey?” “Uh, I didn’t have enough coffee so it was kinda slow, until Sam made a pot of that thick, black ichor where the spoon stood up straight.” But in Britain, they have tea time. They go to their garden, which is their backyard or their front yard.

You know, even if it doesn’t have any plants, they call it a garden, because the implication is you’re gonna grow something in your garden. And you’re gonna sit down and you’re gonna relax with some friends and sip tea, and talk about the meaning of life, or Jesus Christ, or hell, or the Parliament, or who did what. And there’s just this fellowship thing going on. And time seems to stand still during tea time.

Well, tea time is over. Gotta get going. But not Americans. Americans are having a barbecue. They’re roasting ribs and drinking beer, and them British are slowing time down with tea time. That’s how the British and Americans are different. Americans are brash, like John Smith, killing people in the early colonized nation of America, fighting Indians when he has to, making up stories when he has to, marketing himself as something greater than himself, the next big thing, get me another cup of coffee.

The British are into the king and royalty, and tea time. And not mysticism per se, but antiquity. When I was running an online magazine, it became apparent to me that stories that came from England and South Africa were much, much better edited than stories that came from Americans. Why? Because the British had tea time. They could slow time down and zero in on their story and sip some tea and relax and concentrate and focus.

But Americans, they drink that cup of coffee, then they drink another, and then the pot of coffee was in ‘em, and they are, “I ain’t got time for this.” And they’d rush through their editing with a caffeine haze. That’s the way I see it. And I’m drinking lemon chamomile tea, two pouches, to try to get myself back into a sleep schedule that is healthy. So tonight, I’m British. I’m focused. I’m concentrating on philosophical meanderings and I’m writing it down in this blog.

Tomorrow, I will wake up an American and I will drink my mushroom coffee mixed in with instant coffee, and it will be like legal crack cocaine in my bloodstream, and I will be rushing like a bull getting Vinnie to St. Jude where he’ll get his chemotherapy. But tomorrow night, I will become British again. I will slow down. I’ll make some lemon chamomile tea, take some melatonin with some L-theanine… and slip away into British dreamland.

Goodnight.

• Tress of the Emerald Sea (Secret Projects #1) by Brandon Sanderson, 442p: This book has fascinating world building with a sea made of deadly spores, instead of water. I liked the whimsical, fairy tale tone and the independent female character. It plays with the trope of the damsel-in-distress trope by flipping it: the male protagonist is imprisoned and needs to be saved by the woman. I had some issues with the narrative voice. It was fine at the beginning, even with the forth-wall-breaking bits, but it felt strange that the narrator (Hoid, a character who appears in other Cosmere books) seems omnipresent even during events he couldn't have witnessed, and then recounts them anyway. That bothered me. Also, his mismatched-clothing jokes get old pretty fast. The villains (including the dragon) were weak overall. I think the best “villain” in the book is the sea spores themselves, they are terrifying! The plot twist was cool! It was a light read and fun read, but I wasn't very invested in the characters.

• Komarr (Vorkosigan Saga (Publication Order) #11) by Lois McMaster Bujold, 384p: This is the first book with Miles Vorkosigan fully steps into his role as Imperial Auditor. We get to see this other planet, Komarr, with its domes and an ongoing terraforming project. It's an investigative procedural that builds toward bigger political implications for the next book in the series. This one is the book where Miles starts to fall in love. Some new characters are introduced!

• A Civil Campaign (Vorkosigan Saga (Publication Order) #12) by Lois McMaster Bujold, 534p: What an amazing read! This book happens around the time of Emperor Gregor's wedding, and there is a lot going on. It's full of juicy political intrigue and romance shenanigans. It's a great reunion of characters on Barrayar: we get Miles, Ivan, Aral and Cordelia, Koudelkas, Ilyan, Mark, Kareen, the whole gang. It's super fun! I laughed out loud several times while reading this one. There are engineered bugs for the food industry, but also gardening, multiple romantic entanglements, internal politics and an awesome transgender man who defies all traditional Barrayaran beliefs. In summary, fantastic! This series doesn't stop to get better.

#readinglist #books #reading

Tuesday

In Summary: * I love this Season! College Bowl Game Season! Today I've been following 3 Bowl Games: the first two of my day were very exciting and entertaining: the Independence Bowl won by Louisiana Tech, and the Music City Bowl won by Illinois. My third of the day, the Alamo Bowl, has just started and I'm gonna do my best to stay awake for the whole game, though I fully expect to do a fair amount of dozing while listening to the call of the game over my Bose Radio. Not a bad way to end a good day.

Prayers, etc.: * My daily prayers

Health Metrics: * bw= 220.02 lbs. * bp= 135/81 (68)

Exercise: * kegel pelvic floor exercise, half squats, calf raises, wall push-ups

Diet: * 06:40 – 1 banana, 1 peanut butter sandwich * 10:45 – pork belly, whole kernel corn, mashed potatoes * 15:48 – steak burgers with mushroom gravy

Activities, Chores, etc.: * 05:00 – listen to local news talk radio * 06:30 – read, pray, follow news reports from various sources, surf the socials, nap * 07:45 – bank accounts activity monitored * 13:00 – listening to the Reliance Technologies Independence Bowl, Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs * 16:50 –... and Louisiana Tech wins, final score 23 to 14. * 17:00 – tuning now into the Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl, Tennessee Volunters vs Illinois Fightin' Illini, the game already in progess with Tennessee now leading 7 to 0 in the First Quarter. * 20:00 – ... and the Illini win one VERY Exciting game! 30 to 28 * 20:04 – now switching over to the Valero Alamo Bowl: USC Trojans vs. TCU Horned Frogs

Chess: * 14:50 – moved in most (all but 4 games, and in each of those remaining I have 4 days reflection time still on my clock, plenty of time cushion, no pressure) pending CC games

The robots are taking over Wall Street, but this time they're not just working for the big players. Retail investors, armed with smartphones and a healthy dose of optimism, are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to guide their investment decisions. According to recent research from eToro, the use of AI-powered investment solutions amongst retail investors jumped by 46% in 2025, with nearly one in five now utilising these tools to manage their portfolios. It's a digital gold rush, powered by algorithms that promise to level the playing field between Main Street and Wall Street.

But here's the trillion-dollar question: Are these AI-generated market insights actually improving retail investor decision-making, or are they simply amplifying noise in an already chaotic marketplace? As these systems become more sophisticated and ubiquitous, the financial world faces a reckoning. The platforms serving these insights must grapple with thorny questions about transparency, accountability, and the very real risk of market manipulation.

The Rise of the Robot Advisors

The numbers tell a compelling story. Assets under management in the robo-advisors market reached $1.8 trillion in 2024, with the United States leading at $1.46 trillion. The global robo-advisory market was valued at $8.39 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $69.32 billion by 2032, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate of 30.3%. The broader AI trading platform market is expected to increase from $11.26 billion in 2024 to $69.95 billion by 2034.

This isn't just institutional money quietly flowing into algorithmic strategies. Retail investors are leading the charge, with the retail segment expected to expand at the fastest rate. Why? Increased accessibility of AI-powered tools, user-friendly interfaces, and the democratising effect of these technologies. AI platforms offer automated investment tools and educational resources, making it easier for individuals with limited experience to participate in the market.

The platforms themselves have evolved considerably. Leading robo-advisors like Betterment and Wealthfront both use AI for investing, automatic portfolio rebalancing, and tax-loss harvesting. They reinvest dividends automatically and invest money in exchange-traded funds rather than individual stocks. Betterment charges 0.25% annually for its Basic plan, whilst Wealthfront employs Modern Portfolio Theory and provides advanced features including direct indexing for larger accounts.

Generational shifts drive this adoption. According to the World Economic Forum's survey of 13,000 investors across 13 countries, investors are increasingly heterogeneous across generations. Millennials are now the most likely to use AI tools at 72% compared to 61% a year ago, surpassing Gen Z at 69%. Even more telling: 40% of Gen Z investors are using AI chatbots for financial coaching or advice, compared with only 8% of baby boomers.

Overcoming Human Biases

The case for AI in retail investing rests on a compelling premise: humans are terrible at making rational investment decisions. We're emotional, impulsive, prone to recency bias, and easily swayed by fear and greed. Research from Deutsche Bank in 2025 highlights that whilst human traders remain susceptible to recent events and easily available information, AI systems maintain composure during market swings.

During market volatility in April 2025, AI platforms like dbLumina recognised widespread investor excitement as a signal to buy, even as many individuals responded with fear and hesitation. This capacity to override emotional decision-making represents one of AI's most significant advantages.

Research focusing on AI-driven financial robo-advisors examined how these systems influence retail investors' loss aversion and overconfidence biases. Using data from 461 retail investors analysed through structural equation modelling, results indicate that robo-advisors' perceived personalisation, interactivity, autonomy, and algorithm transparency substantially mitigated investors' overconfidence and loss-aversion biases.

The Ontario Securities Commission released a comprehensive report on artificial intelligence in supporting retail investor decision-making. The experiment consisted of an online investment simulation testing how closely Canadians followed suggestions for investing a hypothetical $20,000. Participants were told suggestions came from a human financial services provider, an AI tool, or a blended approach.

Notably, there was no discernible difference in adherence to investment suggestions provided by a human or AI tool, indicating Canadian investors may be receptive to AI advice. More significantly, 29% of Canadians are already using AI to access financial information, with 90% of those using it to inform their financial decisions to at least a moderate extent.

The Deloitte Center for Financial Services predicts that generative AI-enabled applications will likely become the leader in advice mind-space for retail investors, growing from its current nascent stage to 78% usage in 2028, and could become the leading source of retail investment advice in 2027.

Black Boxes and Algorithmic Opacity

But here's where things get murky. Unlike rule-based bots, AI systems adapt their strategies based on market behaviour, meaning even developers may not fully predict each action. This “black box” nature makes transparency difficult. Regulators demand audit-ready procedures, yet many AI systems operate as black boxes, making it difficult to explain why a particular trade was made. This lack of explainability risks undermining trust amongst regulators and clients.

Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) represents an attempt to solve this problem. XAI allows human users to comprehend and trust results created by machine learning algorithms. Unlike traditional AI models that function as black boxes, explainable AI strives to make reasoning accessible and understandable.

In finance, where decisions affect millions of lives and billions of dollars, explainability isn't just desirable; it's often a regulatory and ethical requirement. Customers and regulators need to trust these decisions, which means understanding why and how they were made.

Some platforms are attempting to address this deficit. Tickeron assigns a “Confidence Level” to each prediction and allows users to review the AI's past accuracy on that specific pattern and stock. TrendSpider consolidates advanced charting, market scanning, strategy backtesting, and automated execution, providing retail traders with institutional-grade capabilities.

However, these represent exceptions rather than the rule. The lack of transparency in many AI trading systems makes it difficult for stakeholders to understand how decisions are being made, raising concerns about fairness.

The Flash Crash Warning

If you need a cautionary tale about what happens when algorithms run amok, look no further than May 6, 2010. The “Flash Crash” remains one of the most significant examples of how algorithmic trading can contribute to extreme market volatility. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted nearly 1,000 points (about 9%) within minutes before rebounding almost as quickly. Although the market indices partially rebounded the same day, the flash crash erased almost $1 trillion in market value.

What triggered it? At 2:32 pm EDT, against a backdrop of unusually high volatility and thinning liquidity, a large fundamental trader (Waddell & Reed Financial Inc.) initiated a sell programme for 75,000 E-Mini S&P contracts (valued at approximately $4.1 billion). The computer algorithm was set to target an execution rate of 9% of the trading volume calculated over the previous minute, but without regard to price or time.

High-frequency traders quickly bought and then resold contracts to each other, generating a “hot potato” volume effect. In 14 seconds, high-frequency traders traded over 27,000 contracts, accounting for about 49% of total trading volume, whilst buying only about 200 additional contracts net.

One example that sums up the volatile afternoon: Accenture fell from nearly $40 to one cent and recovered all of its value within seconds. Over 20,000 trades representing 5.5 million shares were executed at prices more than 60% away from their 2:40 pm value, and these trades were subsequently cancelled.

The flash crash demonstrated how unrelated trading algorithms activated across different parts of the financial marketplace can cascade into a systemic event. By reacting to rapidly changing market signals immediately, multiple algorithms generate sharp price swings that lead to short-term volatility. The speed of the crash, largely driven by an algorithm, led agencies like the SEC to enact new “circuit breakers” and mechanisms to halt runaway market crashes. The Limit Up-Limit Down mechanism, implemented in 2012, now prevents trades in National Market System securities from occurring outside of specified price bands.

The Herding Problem

Here's an uncomfortable truth about AI-powered trading: if everyone's algorithm is reading the same data and using similar strategies, we risk creating a massive herding problem. Research examining algorithmic trading and herding behaviour breaks new ground by investigating how algorithmic trading influences stock markets. The findings carry critical implications as researchers uncover dual behaviours of algorithmic trading-induced herding and anti-herding in varying market conditions.

Research has observed that the correlation between asset prices has risen, suggesting that AI systems might encourage herding behaviour amongst traders. As a result, market movements could be intensified, leading to greater volatility. Herd behaviour can emerge because different trading systems adopt similar investment strategies using the same raw data points.

The GameStop and AMC trading frenzy of 2021 offered a different kind of cautionary tale. In early 2021, GameStop experienced a “short squeeze”, with a price surge of almost 1,625% within a week. This financial operation was attributed to activity from Reddit's WallStreetBets subreddit. On January 28, 2021, GameStop stock reached an astonishing intraday high of $483, a meteoric rise from its price of under $20 at the beginning of the year.

Using Reddit, retail investors came together to act “collectively” on certain stocks. According to data firm S3 Partners, by 27 January short sellers had accumulated losses of more than $5 billion in 2021.

As Guy Warren, CEO of FinTech ITRS Group noted, “Until now, retail trading activity has never been able to move the market one way or another. However, following the successful coordination by a large group of traders, the power dynamic has shifted; exposing the vulnerability of the market as well as the weaknesses in firms' trading systems.”

Whilst GameStop represented social media-driven herding rather than algorithm-driven herding, it demonstrates the systemic risks when large numbers of retail investors coordinate their behaviour, whether through Reddit threads or similar AI recommendations. The risk models of certain hedge funds and institutional investors proved themselves inadequate in a situation like the one that unfolded in January. As such an event had never happened before, risk models were subsequently not equipped to manage them.

The Manipulation Question

Multiple major regulatory bodies have raised concerns about AI in financial markets, including the Bank of England, the European Central Bank, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets, the International Organization of Securities Commissions, and the Financial Stability Board. Regulatory authorities are concerned about the potential for deep and reinforcement learning-based trading algorithms to engage in or facilitate market abuse. As the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets has noted, naively programmed reinforcement learning algorithms could inadvertently learn to manipulate markets.

Research from Wharton professors confirms concerns about AI-driven market manipulation, emphasising the risk of AI collusion. Their research reveals the mechanisms behind AI collusion and demonstrates which mechanism dominates under different trading environments. Despite AI's perceived ability to enhance efficiency, recent research demonstrates the ever-present risk of AI-powered market manipulation through collusive trading, despite AI having no intention of collusion.

CFTC Commissioner Kristin Johnson expressed deep concern about the potential for abuse of AI technologies to facilitate fraud in markets, calling for heightened penalties for those who intentionally use AI technologies to engage in fraud, market manipulation, or the evasion of regulations.

The SEC's concerns are equally serious. Techniques such as deepfakes on social media to artificially inflate stock prices or disseminate false information pose substantial risks. The SEC has prioritised combating these activities, leveraging its in-house AI expertise to monitor the market for malicious conduct.

In March 2024, the SEC announced that San Francisco-based Global Predictions, along with Toronto-based Delphia, would pay a combined $400,000 in fines for falsely claiming to use artificial intelligence. SEC Chair Gensler has warned businesses against “AI washing”, making misleading AI-related claims similar to greenwashing. Within the past year, the SEC commenced four enforcement actions against registrants for misrepresentation of AI's purported capability, scope, and usage.

Scholars argue that during market turmoil, AI accelerates volatility faster than traditional market forces. AI operates like “black-boxes”, leaving human programmers unable to understand why AI makes trading decisions as the technology learns on its own. Traditional corporate and securities laws struggle to police AI because black-box algorithms make autonomous decisions without a culpable mental state.

The Bias Trap

AI ethics in finance is about ensuring that AI-driven decisions uphold fairness, transparency, and accountability. When AI models inherit biases from flawed data or poorly designed algorithms, they can unintentionally discriminate, restricting access to financial services and triggering compliance penalties.

AI models can learn and propagate biases if training data represents past discrimination, such as redlining, which systematically denied home loans to racial minorities. Machine learning models trained on historical mortgage data may deny loans at higher rates to applicants from historically marginalised neighbourhoods simply because their profile matches past biased decisions.

The proprietary nature of algorithms and their complexity allow discrimination to hide behind supposed objectivity. These “black box” algorithms can produce life-altering outputs with little knowledge of their inner workings. “Explainability” is a core tenet of fair lending systems. Lenders are required to tell consumers why they were denied, providing a paper trail for accountability.

This creates what AI ethics researchers call the “fairness paradox”: we can't directly measure bias against protected categories if we don't collect data about those categories, yet collecting such data raises concerns about potential misuse.

In December 2024, the Financial Conduct Authority announced an initiative to undertake research into AI bias to inform public discussion and published its first research note on bias in supervised machine learning. The FCA will regulate “critical third parties” (providers of critical technologies, including AI, to authorised financial services entities) under the Financial Services Markets Act 2023.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced that it will expand the definition of “unfair” within the UDAAP regulatory framework to include conduct that is discriminatory, and plans to review “models, algorithms and decision-making processes used in connection with consumer financial products and services.”

The Guardrails Being Built

The regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly, though not always coherently. A challenge emerges from the divergence between regulatory approaches. The FCA largely sees its existing regulatory regime as fit for purpose, with enforcement action in AI-related matters likely to be taken under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime and the new Consumer Duty. Meanwhile, the SEC has proposed specific new rules targeting AI conflicts of interest. This regulatory fragmentation creates compliance challenges for firms operating across multiple jurisdictions.

On December 5, 2024, the CFTC released a nonbinding staff advisory addressing the use of AI by CFTC-regulated entities in derivatives markets, describing it as a “measured first step” to engage with the marketplace. The CFTC undertook a series of initiatives in 2024 to address CFTC registrants' and other industry participants' use and application of AI technologies. Whilst these actions do not constitute formal rulemaking or adoption of new regulations, they underscore CFTC's continued awareness of and attention to the potential benefits and risks of AI on financial markets.

The SEC has proposed Predictive Analytics Rules that would require broker-dealers and registered investment advisers to eliminate or neutralise conflicts of interest associated with their use of AI and other technologies. SEC Chair Gensler stated firms are “obligated to eliminate or otherwise address any conflicts of interest and not put their own interests ahead of their investors' interests.”

FINRA has identified several regulatory risks for member firms associated with AI use that warrant heightened attention, including recordkeeping, customer information protection, risk management, and compliance with Regulation Best Interest. On June 27, 2024, FINRA issued a regulatory notice reminding member firms of their obligations.

In Europe, the Financial Conduct Authority publicly recognises the potential benefits of AI in financial services, running an AI sandbox for firms to test innovations. In October 2024, the FCA launched its AI lab, which includes initiatives such as the Supercharged Sandbox, AI Live Testing, AI Spotlight, AI Sprint, and the AI Input Zone.

In May 2024, the European Securities and Markets Authority issued guidance to firms using AI technologies when providing investment services to retail clients. ESMA expects firms to comply with relevant MiFID II requirements, particularly regarding organisational aspects, conduct of business, and acting in clients' best interests. ESMA notes that whilst AI diffusion is still in its initial phase, the potential impact on retail investor protection is likely to be significant. Firms' decisions remain the responsibility of management bodies, irrespective of whether those decisions are taken by people or AI-based tools.

The EU's Artificial Intelligence Act kicked in on August 1, 2024, ranking AI systems by risk levels: unacceptable, high, limited, or minimal/no risk.

What Guardrails and Disclaimers Are Actually Needed?

So what does effective oversight actually look like? Based on regulatory guidance and industry best practices, several key elements emerge.

Disclosure requirements must be comprehensive. Investment firms using AI and machine learning models should abide by basic disclosures with clients. The SEC's proposal addresses conflicts of interest arising from AI use, requiring firms to evaluate and mitigate conflicts associated with their use of AI and predictive data analytics.

SEC Chair Gary Gensler emphasised that “Investor protection requires that the humans who deploy a model put in place appropriate guardrails” and “If you deploy a model, you've got to make sure that it complies with the law.” This human accountability remains crucial, even as systems become more autonomous.

The SEC, the North American Securities Administrators Association, and FINRA jointly warned that bad actors are using the growing popularity and complexity of AI to lure victims into scams. Investors should remember that securities laws generally require securities firms, professionals, exchanges, and other investment platforms to be registered. Red flags include high-pressure sales tactics by unregistered individuals, promises of quick profits, or claims of guaranteed returns with little or no risk.

Beyond regulatory requirements, platforms need practical safeguards. Firms like Morgan Stanley are implementing guardrails by limiting GPT-4 tools to internal use with proprietary data only, keeping risk low and compliance high.

Specific guardrails and disclaimers that should be standard include:

Clear Performance Disclaimers: AI-generated insights should carry explicit warnings that past performance does not guarantee future results, and that AI models can fail during unprecedented market conditions.

Confidence Interval Disclosure: Platforms should disclose confidence levels or uncertainty ranges associated with AI predictions, as Tickeron does with its Confidence Level system.

Data Source Transparency: Investors should know what data sources feed the AI models and how recent that data is, particularly important given how quickly market conditions change.

Limitation Acknowledgements: Clear statements about what the AI cannot do, such as predict black swan events, account for geopolitical shocks, or guarantee returns.

Human Oversight Indicators: Disclosure of whether human experts review AI recommendations and under what circumstances human intervention occurs.

Conflict of Interest Statements: Explicit disclosure if the platform benefits from directing users toward certain investments or products.

Algorithmic Audit Trails: Platforms should maintain comprehensive logs of how recommendations were generated to satisfy regulatory demands.

Education Resources: Rather than simply providing AI-generated recommendations, platforms should offer educational content to help users understand the reasoning and evaluate recommendations critically.

AI Literacy as a Prerequisite

Here's a fundamental problem: retail investors are adopting AI tools faster than they're developing AI literacy. According to the World Economic Forum's findings, 42% of people “learn by doing” when it comes to investing, 28% don't invest because they don't know how or find it confusing, and 70% of investors surveyed said they would invest more if they had more opportunities to learn.

Research highlights the importance of generative AI literacy along with climate and financial literacy in shaping investor outcomes. Research findings reveal disparities in current adoption and anticipated future use of generative AI across age groups, suggesting opportunities for targeted education.

The financial literacy of individual investors has a significant impact on stock market investment decisions. A large-scale randomised controlled trial with over 28,000 investors at a major Chinese brokerage firm found that GenAI-powered robo-advisors significantly improve financial literacy and shift investor behaviour toward more diversified, cost-efficient, and risk-aware investment choices.

This suggests a virtuous cycle: properly designed AI tools can actually enhance financial literacy whilst simultaneously providing investment guidance. But this only works if the tools are designed with education as a primary goal, not just maximising assets under management or trading volume.

AI is the leading topic that retail investors plan to learn more about over the next year (23%), followed by cryptoassets and blockchain technology (22%), tax rules (18%), and ETFs (17%), according to eToro research. This demonstrates investor awareness of the knowledge gap, but platforms and regulators must ensure educational resources are readily available and comprehensible.

The Double-Edged Sword

For investors, AI-synthesised alternative data can offer an information edge, enabling them to analyse and predict consumer behaviour to gain insight ahead of company earnings announcements. According to Michael Finnegan, CEO of Eagle Alpha, there were just 100 alternative data providers in the 2010s; now there are 2,000. In 2023, Deloitte predicted that the global market for alternative data would reach $137 billion by 2030, increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 53%.

But alternative data introduces transparency challenges. How was the data collected? Is it representative? Has it been verified? When AI models train on alternative data sources like satellite imagery of parking lots, credit card transaction data, or social media sentiment, the quality and reliability of insights depend entirely on the underlying data quality.

Adobe observed that between November 1 and December 31, 2024, traffic from generative AI sources to U.S. retail sites increased by 1,300 percent compared to the same period in 2023. This demonstrates how quickly AI is being integrated into consumer behaviour, but it also means AI models analysing retail trends are increasingly analysing other AI-generated traffic, creating potential feedback loops.

Combining Human and Machine Intelligence

Perhaps the most promising path forward isn't choosing between human and artificial intelligence, but thoughtfully combining them. The Ontario Securities Commission research found no discernible difference in adherence to investment suggestions provided by a human or AI tool, but the “blended” approach showed promise.

The likely trajectory points toward configurable, focused AI modules, explainable systems designed to satisfy regulators, and new user interfaces where investors interact with AI advisors through voice, chat, or immersive environments. What will matter most is not raw technological horsepower, but the ability to integrate machine insights with human oversight in a way that builds durable trust.

The future of automated trading will be shaped by demands for greater transparency and user empowerment. As traders become more educated and tech-savvy, they will expect full control and visibility over the tools they use. We are likely to see more platforms offering open-source strategy libraries, real-time risk dashboards, and community-driven AI training models.

Research examining volatility shows that market volatility triggers opposing trading behaviours: as volatility increases, Buy-side Algorithmic Traders retreat whilst High-Frequency Traders intensify trading, possibly driven by opposing hedging and speculative motives, respectively. This suggests that different types of AI systems serve different purposes and should be matched to different investor needs and risk tolerances.

Making the Verdict

So are AI-generated market insights improving retail investor decision-making or merely amplifying noise? The honest answer is both, depending on the implementation, regulation, and education surrounding these tools.

The evidence suggests AI can genuinely help. Research shows that properly designed robo-advisors reduce behavioural biases, improve diversification, and enhance financial literacy. The Ontario Securities Commission found that 90% of Canadians using AI for financial information are using it to inform their decisions to at least a moderate extent. AI maintains composure during market volatility when human traders panic.

But the risks are equally real. Black-box algorithms lack transparency. Herding behaviour can amplify market movements. Market manipulation becomes more sophisticated. Bias in training data perpetuates discrimination. Flash crashes demonstrate how algorithmic cascades can spiral out of control. The widespread adoption of similar AI strategies could create systemic fragility.

The platforms serving these insights must ensure transparency and model accountability through several mechanisms:

Mandatory Explainability: Regulators should require AI platforms to provide explanations comprehensible to retail investors, not just data scientists. XAI techniques need to be deployed as standard features, not optional add-ons.

Independent Auditing: Third-party audits of AI models should become standard practice, examining both performance and bias, with results publicly available in summary form.

Stress Testing: AI models should be stress-tested against historical market crises to understand how they would have performed during the 2008 financial crisis, the 2010 Flash Crash, or the 2020 pandemic crash.

Confidence Calibration: AI predictions should include properly calibrated confidence intervals, and platforms should track whether their stated confidence levels match actual outcomes over time.

Human Oversight Requirements: For retail investors, particularly those with limited experience, AI recommendations above certain risk thresholds should trigger human review or additional warnings.

Education Integration: Platforms should be required to provide educational content explaining how their AI works, what it can and cannot do, and how investors should evaluate its recommendations.

Bias Testing and Reporting: Regular testing for bias across demographic groups, with public reporting of results and remediation efforts.

Incident Reporting: When AI systems make significant errors or contribute to losses, platforms should be required to report these incidents to regulators and communicate them to affected users.

Interoperability and Portability: To prevent lock-in effects and enable informed comparison shopping, standards should enable investors to compare AI platform performance and move their data between platforms.

The fundamental challenge is that AI is neither inherently good nor inherently bad for retail investors. It's a powerful tool that can be used well or poorly, transparently or opaquely, in investors' interests or platforms' interests.

The widespread use of AI widens the gap between institutional investors and retail traders. Whilst large firms have access to advanced algorithms and capital, individual investors often lack such resources, creating an uneven playing field. AI has the potential to narrow this gap by democratising access to sophisticated analysis, but only if the platforms, regulators, and investors themselves commit to transparency and accountability.

As AI becomes the dominant force in retail investing, we need guardrails robust enough to prevent manipulation and protect investors, but flexible enough to allow innovation and genuine improvements in decision-making. We need disclaimers honest about both capabilities and limitations, not legal boilerplate designed to shield platforms from liability. We need education that empowers investors to use these tools critically, not marketing that encourages blind faith in algorithmic superiority.

The algorithm will see you now. The question is whether it's working for you or whether you're working for it. And the answer to that question depends on the choices we make today about transparency, accountability, and the kind of financial system we want to build.

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References & Sources

1. eToro. (2025). Retail investors flock to AI tools, with usage up 46% in one year

2. Statista. (2024). Global: robo-advisors AUM 2019-2028

3. Fortune Business Insights. (2024). Robo Advisory Market Size, Share, Trends | Growth Report, 2032

4. Precedence Research. (2024). AI Trading Platform Market Size and Forecast 2025 to 2034

5. NerdWallet. (2024). Betterment vs. Wealthfront: 2024 Comparison

6. World Economic Forum. (2025). 2024 Global Retail Investor Outlook

7. Deutsche Bank. (2025). AI platforms and investor behaviour during market volatility. [Referenced in search results]

8. Taylor & Francis Online. (2025). The role of robo-advisors in behavioural finance, shaping investment decisions

9. Ontario Securities Commission. (2024). Artificial Intelligence and Retail Investing: Use Cases and Experimental Research

10. Deloitte. (2024). Retail investors may soon rely on generative AI tools for financial investment advice

11. uTrade Algos. (2024). Why Transparency Matters in Algorithmic Trading

12. Finance Magnates. (2024). Secret Agent: Deploying AI for Traders at Scale

13. CFA Institute. (2025). Explainable AI in Finance: Addressing the Needs of Diverse Stakeholders

14. IBM. (n.d.). What is Explainable AI (XAI)?

15. Springer. (2024). Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) in finance: a systematic literature review

16. Wikipedia. (2024). 2010 flash crash

17. CFTC. (2010). The Flash Crash: The Impact of High Frequency Trading on an Electronic Market

18. Corporate Finance Institute. (n.d.). 2010 Flash Crash – Overview, Main Events, Investigation

19. Nature. (2025). The dynamics of the Reddit collective action leading to the GameStop short squeeze

20. Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance. (2022). GameStop and the Reemergence of the Retail Investor

21. Roll Call. (2021). Social media offered lessons, rally point for GameStop trading

22. Nature. (2025). Research on the impact of algorithmic trading on market volatility

23. Wiley Online Library. (2024). Does Algorithmic Trading Induce Herding?

24. Sidley Austin. (2024). Artificial Intelligence in Financial Markets: Systemic Risk and Market Abuse Concerns

25. Wharton School. (2024). AI-Powered Collusion in Financial Markets

26. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (2024). SEC enforcement actions regarding AI misrepresentation.

27. Brookings Institution. (2024). Reducing bias in AI-based financial services

28. EY. (2024). AI discrimination and bias in financial services

29. Proskauer Rose LLP. (2024). A Tale of Two Regulators: The SEC and FCA Address AI Regulation for Private Funds

30. Financial Conduct Authority. (2024). FCA AI lab launch and bias research initiative.

31. Sidley Austin. (2025). Artificial Intelligence: U.S. Securities and Commodities Guidelines for Responsible Use

32. FINRA. (2024). Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Investment Fraud

33. ESMA. (2024). ESMA provides guidance to firms using artificial intelligence in investment services

34. Deloitte. (2023). Alternative data market predictions.

35. Eagle Alpha. (2024). Growth of alternative data providers.

36. Adobe. (2024). Generative AI traffic to retail sites analysis.

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Tim Green UK-based Systems Theorist & Independent Technology Writer

Tim explores the intersections of artificial intelligence, decentralised cognition, and posthuman ethics. His work, published at smarterarticles.co.uk, challenges dominant narratives of technological progress while proposing interdisciplinary frameworks for collective intelligence and digital stewardship.

His writing has been featured on Ground News and shared by independent researchers across both academic and technological communities.

ORCID: 0009-0002-0156-9795 Email: tim@smarterarticles.co.uk

See all #Larrys2025Faves

Music presents a dilemma, both timeless and immediate. I listen to a lot of albums spanning almost 100 years, multiple media, and in varied social settings. But it also has an immediacy: new releases, critical buzz, and the excitement of NOW! A year-end best-of tells a partial listening story, but alas:

2025 Superlatives

Best Album: Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band – New Threats from the Soul  Best Single & Video: Elderberry Wine by Wednesday Best Debut: Annie DiRusso – Super Pedestrian  Best Comeback: The Lemonheads – Lovechant Best Concert: TIE Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band/Snocaps – Bowery Ballroom, Manhattan Kacey Musgraves – Barclays Center, Brooklyn

Fourteen 2025 releases on heavy rotation, in no particular order:

• Snocaps - 'Snocaps' (Anti-): Twins Sisters Powers Reactivate

• Jeff Tweedy - 'Twilight Override' (dBpm Records): A box set of new material? Jeff writes a lot of songs

• Wednesday - 'Bleeds' (Dead Oceans): I slept on this band before Bleeds, awake now

• Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band – 'New Threats from the Soul' (Sophomore Lounge): Can't stop listening  The Larry’s100 review

• Kurt Vile/Luke Roberts - 'Classic Love EP' (Verve): Played almost as much as Ryan Davis The Larry’s100 review

• Lemonheads - 'Love Chant' (Fire Records): Cell Phone Blues was almost my song of the year  The Larry’s100 review

• Kathleen Edwards - 'Billionaire' (Dualtone Records): A full-throated and tuneful platter of rugged individualism

• The Bug Club – 'Very Human Features' (Sub Pop): Second great album in 3 years

• Rose City Band - 'Sol y Sombra' (Thrill Jockey): Meditations with steel pedal

• Annie DiRusso - 'Super Pedestrian' (Summer Soup Songs): Punchy, energetic first record. Her Tiny Desk is a must-watch

• Dean Wareham - 'That's the Price of Loving Me' (Carpark Records): Crazy, this is his first solo album

• Superchunk - 'Songs in the Key of Yikes' (Merge): On one of the best post-hiatus runs in indie rock history

• Neil Young - 'Ocean Side/Country Side' (Neil Young Archives): Never before released, even though you know all the songs. Great to hear them, as it was originally conceived and tracked

• Kacey Musgraves - 'Deeper Into The Well' (MCA Nashville): Seven new tracks!

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