Financial Advice New Zealand launches AI training for advisers
Financial Advice New Zealand is introducing the AI in Advice Certificate - a 12-week professional development programme starting Oct. 24. The goal is clear: help advisers integrate AI into everyday practice without compromising compliance or client trust.
Why it matters
Advisers asked for practical, compliant AI training. This certificate, part of the Modern Financial Adviser curriculum, closes the gap between new tools and regulatory expectations.
Global data backs the move. The Financial Planning Standards Board reports 78% of advisers expect AI to improve client service, 60% expect better advice quality, and 41% already use AI for client communications-from onboarding to ongoing engagement. See FPSB.
"Our goal is to give advisers a clear, practical learning experience which builds confidence and technical fluency in AI, while maintaining compliance and client trust," said Nick Hakes, CEO of Financial Advice New Zealand.
How the programme works
It starts with an optional in-person masterclass on large language models and prompt engineering in Christchurch, Auckland, and Wellington in October. You can attend this as a standalone session or as phase one of the certificate, which then moves online from Oct. 24.
The certificate runs 12 modules over 12 weeks and provides 25 CPD hours. Core topics include:
- Prompt engineering for financial advice use cases
- AI-powered productivity tools and workflows
- Marketing automation and compliant content production
- Strategies to embed AI across the advice process
International input includes sessions with Panos Leledakis, founder and CEO of IFAAcademy, known for digital transformation and AI adoption in financial services. He previously contributed as a visiting expert at the 2025 National Adviser Conference.
Pricing, credentials, and enrolment
- $1,725 for members, $1,955 for non-members (GST inclusive)
- Optional digital badge: $90
- Masterclass attendees who continue with the full certificate receive a tuition rebate
Details and registration: financialadvice.nz/AI-Certificate
Industry context: AI across insurance and advice
In New Zealand's insurance sector, AI is being used to automate repetitive tasks and support decision-making, not replace staff. Models are improving risk assessment by using data beyond traditional underwriting-such as behavioral signals and economic indicators.
Insurers are deploying intelligent document processing (OCR + NLP) to digitise paperwork, reduce manual errors, and speed claims. Personalised products like usage-based policies are more feasible, and proactive risk alerts (e.g., severe weather or property maintenance) are improving customer experience.
Budgets reflect the shift. Research from Snowflake and Enterprise Strategy Group shows 32% of ANZ organisations now allocate over a quarter of their tech budgets to generative AI, delivering a 44% ROI in ANZ vs 41% globally. Source.
Next steps for advisers
- Audit your workflows and pick 2-3 AI use cases with clear ROI (e.g., meeting notes, client emails, file summaries).
- Set compliance guardrails: data handling, human-in-the-loop review, and audit trails.
- Pilot an LLM for client communication templates; measure time saved and client satisfaction.
- Train your team, standardise prompts, and document SOPs for repeatability.
- Attend the masterclass, then commit to the 12-week certificate to build durable capability.
Want additional resources for finance-specific AI adoption? Explore curated tools and learning paths: AI tools for finance.
