Roboadvisors stand at the vanguard of human-machine collaboration

Pundits opine about how automation technologies will eliminate certain jobs, fueling a rise-of-the-machines kind of fear and loathing among tech workers. Horror story scenarios aside, evidence suggests it's far more likely that automation will augment rather than replace most jobs. Witness the financial services sector, where sophisticated algorithms called "roboadvisors" pair with humans to offer investment advice. The Vanguard Group, a power in mutual and exchange-traded funds with 3.2 trillion in global assets, has written custom software that offers clients tailored investment advice, a new but crowded market for a company whose clients are largely self-directed. But while many roboadvisors act alone, Vanguard pairs them with humans, creating a hybrid model that marries algorithmic portfolio planning and relies on human financial advisors to provide a white-glove touch.