Morgan Stanley is getting into the “robo-advice” business, where software manages funds instead of people. The service, Access Investing, is aimed at younger investors, and helps them put their money with the businesses they’re most interested in.
“Forty percent of our clients have chosen to invest in a theme, and the most popular ones [are] robotics and artificial intelligence,” Naureen Hassan, Chief Digital Officer for Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley, told Cheddar.
The financial firm rolled out its Access Investing division, which focuses on advising clients online, in December. Hassan says that her team has seen a lot of engagement with from people 45 and under.
Robo-advisers, or digital investment portfolios, are not very new. The field has competitors, such as Betterment or Wealthfront, that have been making strides in the sector.
But Morgan Stanley says it’s betting on its legacy to differentiate itself in the industry.
“We think it’s the Morgan Stanley investing expertise that really differentiates it,” Hassan said. “That’s why we are offering clients choice, it just isn’t only a passive portfolio, we believe in a mix of assets.”
Facebook shares plummeted after the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke, but internet analyst Mark Mahaney, Managing Director at RBC Capital, said this is just a "PR issue, not a fundamental issue," and now is the perfect time to buy into the social media network.
In light of Facebook's data scandal, other tech companies should give users a cut of the money they made off of their information, says Brittany Kaiser, a former director of business development at data company Cambridge Analytica.
Brittany Kaiser, a former executive at the company that gained access to data on millions of Facebook users, said that the estimate of 87 million people affected is far less than the reality.
FAANG stocks (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google) are taking over old-school media companies, growing "at a rate that no one thought was possible," says Lorne Brown, the CEO of the ad tech firm Operative. To keep up, traditional media outlets should consider "comingling" with the newcomers, says Brown.
Since customers now have so much at their fingertips, "we need to weed through everything," says Jenny Fleiss, CEO of Code Eight, a personal shopping start-up owned by Walmart. Fleiss was also the co-founder of fashion-tech company Rent the Runway.
Amazon is betting big on AR/VR and its plans do not include any headsets or devices. PCMag's Rob Marvin joins Cheddar to discuss his exclusive look at the upcoming company's development platform, Sumerian.
The giant e-commerce site has launched Sumerian, an easy-to-use platform that lets users build AR and VR apps, explains Rob Marvin, PCMag Associate Features Editor
Netflix stock is surging after the company reported first-quarter earnings, disclosing that the company added 7.4 million subscribers in the first three months of this year. Netflix now has 125 million subscribers globally. This year, Netflix plans to spend $8 billion on developing original content.
Goldman Sachs reported earnings on Tuesday, soaring past Wall Street estimates. The firm said its quarterly revenue hit $10 billion, an increase of 27%. Goldman's successful first quarter is due in large part to the recent surge in trading and market volatility.
Plus, we talk artificial intelligence with Sam Mantle, managing director of digital enterprise at Luxoft. The company recently announced a partnership with Softbank Robotics America to improve technology in "Pepper" the robot. Mantle digs into how Pepper can be used across industries from travel, to retail, to hospitality, noting that developers are just starting to learn how expansive and beneficial artificial intelligence can be.
The software developer Luxoft is teaming up with Softbank Robotics America to bring its humanoid robot Pepper to life.
"This is about making robots accessible," says Sam Mantle, managing director of digital enterprise at Luxoft.
Beyond direct competitors Hulu and Amazon, more companies will jump in to give Netflix a run for its money. "The competition is intensifying across all fronts," says Paul Verna, principal analyst at eMarketer. The streaming service posted strong earnings Tuesday, with a massive growth in subscribers and better-than-expected revenue.
