AI will leave only the real experts standing

Shim Dong-kyu The author is an executive managing director of the PB Strategy Division at Korea Investment & Securities. At 6 a.m., the day begins at the gym while checking the morning news. On the commute to work, a podcast summarizing overnight moves in the U.S. stock market plays through earphones. By 8 a.m., a team meeting is underway to review client portfolios. The afternoon is filled with consultations and meetings with corporate clients. After the Korean market closes, preparations begin for the next day’s strategy. Only after checking the opening of the U.S. market at 10:30 p.m. does the workday finally end. This is the routine life of a private banker, or PB, at a securities firm. The interior of a Shinhan Bank PB center is seen in Jongno District, Seoul. The photo is unrelated to the content of the column. [JOONGANG ILBO] In an era when YouTube channels and AI can analyze markets and even recommend stocks, the question naturally arises: Are PBs still necessary? It is a fair