Inside the Asian Institute of Management, Joseph Plazo—founder of the algorithmic trading firm Plazo Sullivan Roche—offered an unusual message: slow down.
Inside one of Southeast Asia’s most influential business schools — What he offered instead was something rarely heard in AI circles: resistance.
“The machine may be faster. But are we still the ones deciding what matters?”
???? **The Man Behind the Model—Now Questioning Its Impact**
He isn’t speaking from the sidelines. 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.
“Speed is seductive. But context is critical.”
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.”
???? **When Pausing Is a Form of Leadership**
Traders are trained to move quickly—too quickly.
“In high-volatility moments, the pause is where leadership happens.”
Plazo introduced a framework he calls **“Conviction Calculus”**—three questions that must be asked before executing an AI recommendation:
- Does this decision align with our values—not just our strategy?
- Have we cross-checked this with human knowledge—not just system signals?
- Will anyone say, ‘This was my call,’ or just point at the machine?
???? **Asia’s Race Toward AI Could Be Missing Its Compass**
Across Asia, 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.
“These weren’t errors of greed or emotion. They were perfectly logical moves—executed without context.”
???? **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, read more and social context alongside market data.
“Machines that don’t just predict, but understand.”
At a private dinner after the event, multiple venture capital leaders discussed collaborations.
One investor called Plazo’s talk:
“A blueprint for ethical AI in an unequal world.”
???? **The Final Warning: Crashes Don’t Always Start Loudly**
Plazo ended with a thought that may echo across boardrooms:
“Emotion won’t trigger the fall. Certainty will.”
No dramatic flourish. Just clarity.
Because when machines take over the trades, leadership cannot go offline.