We’re entering a new era in financial services, one where AI isn’t just another tool, it’s becoming the foundation of how firms operate, compete, and grow.
Most events in our industry still miss that point. They’re stuck showing demos while the real work is about redefining what it means to lead, serve clients, and build firms in an AI-powered world.
In this Q&A, Future Proof Founder and CEO Matt Middleton breaks down what makes Future Proof Citywide (March 8-11, Miami Beach, FL) different, what it stands for, and why this moment matters for every firm that wants to be part of the next chapter of wealth and asset management.
Q: Matt, let’s start simple. What exactly is Future Proof Citywide?
Matt:
Future Proof Citywide is the next evolution of our mission. It’s a citywide experience built to help the wealth and asset management industry understand, adopt, and lead in the AI-driven ecosystem.
It’s an open-air event that connects every experience across South Beach’s iconic shoreline. Attendees move freely between sessions, activations, and lounges with the ocean as their backdrop. It’s where business feels less like a convention and more like a movement.
AI is changing everything: org charts and roles, processes and policies, systems and workflows, client experience, and even valuations. Future Proof Citywide gives this industry the space to learn, experiment, and collaborate on how to adapt to a profession that will be far different in a few years.
Q: You’ve said before that most of the industry is “missing the point” about AI. What do you mean by that?
Matt:
Too many people still treat AI like it’s a software demo, a shiny new feature of their tech stack, or an integration. That’s surface-level.
The real story is deeper. AI isn’t just a technology conversation; it’s a business model conversation. It’s about redesigning workflows, redefining roles, and rethinking what it means to create value.
The successful firms will do more than use AI … they’ll operate their entire business on it. Some will become AI-native, built from the ground up. Others will have to rewire themselves to be AI-ready. That’s what this event is about: helping the industry bridge that gap.
Q: What is Future Proof Citywide not?
Matt:
It’s not a technology event for technology professionals. It’s not about hype or talking at people about AI theory.
We’re not here to debate if AI will change the financial advice space. That’s settled. The question now is how we implement it responsibly while empowering people to do their best work.
AI isn’t removing the human from finance; it’s redefining where human value sits. That’s a cultural shift just as much as it is a technical one.
Q: You talk often about being “AI-ready.” What does that look like in practice?
Matt:
Being AI-ready starts with self-awareness: knowing what data you have, mapping your workflows, and training your people.
You have to ask:
- What data do we have, and can we actually use it?
- What are we actually looking to solve with AI?
- How do we reskill and upskill our teams so they’re confident, not threatened?
That’s what leaders like Focus Financial’s Gopal Subramanian and Merit Financial’s Kay Lynn Mayhue are doing. They’re showing that transformation starts with clarity, defining success before chasing technology.
Q: A lot of people still fear AI – that it’s moving too fast or will replace jobs. What’s your take?
Matt:
That fear is understandable. But history shows us something different..
Every major transformational shift: the internet, the smartphone, cloud computing has created far more opportunity than it’s destroyed. The same will be true here.
AI will absolutely reshape roles, but it will also expand what’s possible for humans to do. I believe that 30% of current roles in wealth management will evolve or disappear in the next few years but new ones will emerge that don’t exist yet.
The firms that focus on education, experimentation, and AI-literacy will win. Those that wait will get left behind. We shouldn’t fear or hide from the future. We need to build it.
Q: You’ve used the term “AI playground.” What is that?
Matt:
The AI Playground is where you get to see what “applied AI” actually looks like. It’s a 21,000-square-foot pavilion packed with live demos, startup showcases, and hands-on learning zones all focused on how AI is changing the way firms operate and serve clients.
We’ve built it to make innovation tangible. You’ll see real workflows, real tools, and real people showing what’s possible today, not someday. Inside the AI Playground, in addition to sponsor activations, we’ve got three main spaces: the Show & Tell Stage, the AI Sandbox, and the Level Up area.
The Show & Tell Stage is where wealth management executives, tech leaders, and advisors walk you through live examples of how they’re using AI to improve all aspects of their job. No slides. Just real work, happening in real time.
The AI Sandbox is an intimate setting for pre-scheduled peer-to-peer discussions on specific AI topics. It’s where leaders swap lessons, challenges, and progress. We introduced this content format at the Future Proof Leaders Retreat and it received the most positive feedback of all aspects of the event.
The Level Up Area, where attendees sharpen their technical and human skills. Each session focuses on something practical, like writing better prompts, leadership communication skills, integrating AI tools, and more. You leave with frameworks and checklists you can actually use.
Q: Why Miami Beach?
Matt:
Miami Beach has become a global hub for technology, finance, and culture and it’s one of the most forward-looking cities in the world right now.
Miami represents the perfect mix of global innovation and local connection.
Q: Why should someone attend?
Matt:
Because this is the moment to move from AI-curious to AI-capable.
Future Proof Citywide brings together the people who are actually building what’s next: decision-makers, founders, investors, and practitioners who are figuring out AI in real time.
This is where you’ll learn how to turn AI from a talking point into a competitive advantage. The firms that show up now, that invest in learning, in community, in collaboration will be the ones defining the next decade.
Q: Final thought: what do you hope people walk away with?
Matt:
Three things: clarity, confidence, and community.
Clarity about where the industry is headed. Confidence to lead through uncertainty. And community because no one figures this out alone.
Register now and join us March 8–11, 2026 in Miami Beach, FL as we explore how to invest, build, grow, and live in the AI era.
