Advice in the Age of AI at NextGen Finance Symposium | Leeds School of Business

On Nov. 12, the Burridge Center for Finance hosted NextGen Finance: Tech Innovation in Financial Services, bringing together industry leaders to share insights on launching startups in the era of artificial intelligence. 

The future of finance is being rewritten by technology—and students got a front-row seat to the conversation at NextGen Finance: Tech Innovation in Financial Services, a panel discussion about what it takes to build startups in an AI-driven world. The event also offered accounting and finance students a valuable opportunity to network and explore emerging trends shaping the future of financial services. 

AI and entrepreneurial advice

Patrick Harrington, head of AI and machine learning at MetaRouter, kicked off the symposium by underscoring that almost 92 million jobs will be replaced by AI—which is 8% of jobs globally. Leeds is preparing students to consider AI’s impact on the workforce and their potential professions. The symposium gave students a unique chance to learn directly from entrepreneurs who have successfully launched startups in an AI-driven era—and to build connections that could shape their own careers.

“This is a profound point in our journey as a society, and it’s a point of leverage that no other human being has had today,” Harrington said. “Five years out with this knowledge base that can support and augment your thought processes, your critical thinking skills are going to become even more important.”

Panelists discussed careers in the age of AI, sharing tips for success and essential skills required to meet evolving demands. They displayed live demos of their platforms, giving the audience a clear picture of how their startups work and the technology’s real-world applications. Through the stories of their own ventures, the speakers illustrated how finance and accounting firms are already embracing AI to transform the industry.

Innovative products that move our industry forward emerge when they address a pain point and deliver a real solution that impacts the people, services and industries facing those challenges, noted Sarah Angello, co-founder of Daffodil.

Networking toward the future

A key highlight of the event was helping students build confidence in networking. Dressed in professional attire, they were encouraged to introduce themselves and engage in meaningful conversations with the entrepreneurs in the room.

Elizabeth MacBride and Seth Levine, authors of Capital Evolution: The New American Economy, joined the event and invited students to ask questions, share ideas and connect with them about the book’s themes—many of which echoed the symposium’s topics.

Capital Evolution is a compelling look at the changes taking hold in America’s political system, information environment and society, according to MacBride. The book asks tough questions about the rising power of business in our economic system. Students left not only with fresh perspectives but also with a signed first edition—a tangible springboard for deeper exploration.