Hello,

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are already invading every aspect of our lives. Debates are ongoing about how it will infiltrate individual industries. Governments are working to understand AI and determine how to regulate something that affects much more than the digital space. Its potential uses are being realized everywhere, from musicians turning 50-year-old demo recordings into fully realized hit singles to firms analyzing data to increase productivity, maximize security, and even develop new medicines. The potential for AI is a fast-moving beast, with new tools emerging so quickly that they sometimes make existing ones obsolete just months after they become available.

It has certainly made many people nervous. An online educator surveyed 800 executives about their futures with AI. Almost half of the respondents believed that many of the job skills vital to the employees of various industries, including C-suite executives, may be irrelevant in just two years.1,2

This is some scary talk, to be certain. However, it is important to note that such change is inevitable. Just as the telephone put the telegraph out to pasture and the commercialization of the Internet changed how every company does business, AI will change things. However, not all aspects of the change will be bad or negative.

For those in the workforce, AI represents this generation’s pivot point. Just as prior generations got used to offices centered around emails and messaging tools, so will this generation of workers get used to the many AI tools that will help them work better and more efficiently. Jobs at all levels will change to incorporate emerging innovations. Executives will have access to resources that simplify their tasks and expand their abilities.

AI promises to help make a massive leap forward in terms of what people can accomplish, and its tools can help people do tasks more precisely and at previously impossible speeds. This sort of innovation always has growing pains. However, in the long run, it represents incredible potential for the economy to grow in new directions and open avenues that never existed before.

Although AI challenges the economy, investors have faced this challenge during every innovative period. As your financial team, we’ll stay on top of it, and we look forward to hearing any questions you may have about the future of AI.

Until next week,

Your Eagle Wealth Team

The Week on Wall Street

Stocks were narrowly higher for the week as investors digested mixed economic news about consumer confidence. All three of the major averages posted gains for Q1 2024.

Stocks Finish Strong

Markets slipped for the first half of the four-day week as investors took a breather after the prior week's gain. Conflicting economic news on Monday and Tuesday contributed to the slide. New home sales in February slipped 0.3 percent over the prior month but increased by 5.9 percent from the prior year. Durable goods orders—everything from washing machines to helicopters—rebounded 1.4 percent in February, beating expectations and recouping some of January’s 6.9 percent drop.^1,2,3

Stocks rallied on Wednesday, including a fresh record close for the Standard & Poor’s 500. An upward revision to consumer sentiment on Thursday helped the rally along. The markets are closed on Friday when the much-anticipated inflation report called the Personal Consumption and Expenditures (PCE) is released, which could set up a volatile Monday.⁴

Any companies mentioned are for informational purposes only, and this should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of their securities. Any investment should be consistent with your objectives, time frame, and risk tolerance
Source: YCharts.com, March 30, 2024. Weekly performance is measured from Friday, March 22, to Thursday, March 28. ROC 5 = the rate of change in the index for the previous 5 trading days. TR = total return for the index, which includes any dividends as well as any other cash distributions during the period. Treasury note yield is expressed in basis points.