Inside the Asian Institute of Management, Joseph Plazo—founder of the algorithmic trading firm Plazo Sullivan Roche—offered an unusual message: slow down.

MANILA — Plazo didn’t talk about speed or scale.

“Profit isn’t the only thing on the line. So is principle.”

???? **Joseph Plazo: A Technologist Sounding the Alarm**

Plazo is not new to this space. 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.

Yet even with these results, he insists—performance isn’t the only metric.

“Optimisation is only part of the equation,” Plazo explained. “Direction, purpose—those remain human.”

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. The algorithm was correct—but profoundly unaware.”

???? **Machines Act Fast. But Leadership Sometimes Waits.**

In elite financial circles, speed is often glorified.

“We must remember that a moment of hesitation can protect reputations—and futures.”

Plazo introduced a framework he calls **“Conviction Calculus”**—three questions that must be asked before executing an AI recommendation:

- Who takes responsibility if the code is flawless—but the outcome disastrous?
- Is there non-digital confirmation? What do experience, memory, and culture say?
- Does leadership end when the model takes over?

???? **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.

“No one made a mistake. But no one questioned the machine either.”

???? **A New Path: Machines That Listen as Well as Compute**

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, 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.”

???? **What Happens When No more info One Says ‘Stop’**

Plazo ended with a thought that may echo across boardrooms:

“We won’t be victims of chaos—but of unchecked confidence.”

Not a warning against AI—but a demand for wisdom to go with it.

Because when machines take over the trades, conscience cannot be coded out.