For as long as modern financial systems have existed, power and access have been concentrated in the hands of a select few. Wall Street’s architecture was never designed with inclusivity in mind. From institutional jargon and expensive software to insider tips and exclusive analyst briefings, the retail investor has always been two steps behind—if not locked out entirely.

But that might be changing. And not because the gatekeepers suddenly found their conscience.

Artificial intelligence, often blamed for taking jobs and amplifying surveillance capitalism, is starting to chip away at one of the oldest power structures in the U.S.—who gets to participate in wealth-building. And it’s not doing it through viral memes or gamified trading apps. It’s doing it by giving regular people access to institutional-grade investing intelligence that was once cloaked in spreadsheets and six-figure subscriptions.

It’s a quiet revolution. But one that’s overdue.

At the heart of the problem is information asymmetry. Institutions have always had better tools, better data, and better access to market-moving news. Meanwhile, retail investors—the average people who trade stocks through apps or invest for retirement—are left reacting to events after the fact.

This isn’t just a matter of convenience. It’s structural. A system where financial literacy is underfunded, where real-time data is paywalled, and where investment tools are built for experts rather than humans—all serves to reinforce the same cycle: the rich get richer, and everyone else gets the scraps.

That cycle has come under scrutiny in recent years. Robinhood popularized free trading. Reddit’s WallStreetBets turned the GameStop saga into a form of protest. But while those events sparked conversations, they didn’t fix the underlying access problem.

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Now, AI might.

The newest wave of fintech tools isn’t just about slick UX or lower fees. It’s about using machine learning to comb through mountains of market data and surface insights that were once the exclusive domain of hedge funds and trading floors. These tools don’t just make recommendations—they identify patterns, flag anomalies, and help investors understand what’s happening before the news breaks.

It’s not perfect. But it’s progress.

George Kailas, CEO of Prospero.AI, believes AI is one of the first technologies that could genuinely rewire the power structure of investing. “We talk a lot about the wealth gap, but we rarely talk about the access gap… The gap in information, in tools, in time; all reminding the retail investor that this game is not for you. But AI can bridge these gaps,” he says.

Kailas built Prospero with the explicit goal of giving individuals the same edge institutions have long protected. “It’s not just about faster analysis—it’s about handing everyday investors the tools to play on a more leveled field. Plus, if it helps dismantle the old boys’ club of Wall Street, then it’s a win-win.”

His point isn’t just ideological. It’s practical. When people don’t feel like they understand how to navigate a system, they don’t participate in it. They don’t invest. They don’t build wealth. And they remain stuck in cycles of paycheck-to-paycheck survival while the markets soar above them.

Even as AI opens doors, the question remains: who’s walking through them?

Studies show that while more Americans are gaining access to investment platforms, participation is still deeply unequal. A 2024 Pew Research report found that just 46% of Black adults and 37% of Hispanic adults owned stocks, compared to 66% of white adults. Women and younger Americans also remain underrepresented.

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Access to tools is a start. But it won’t mean much if people don’t also have the literacy—and confidence—to use them. And that’s where education, transparency, and cultural relevance have to catch up with the technology.

To be clear: AI won’t fix everything. Algorithms can reinforce bias. Data sets can be incomplete. And some tools will overpromise and underdeliver. But in a system that’s long rewarded connections and insider knowledge, simply having a chance to play with the same tools is radical.

Finance won’t be democratized overnight. But for the first time, it’s not just fintech startups making noise—it’s code, crunching numbers in real time, putting retail investors in the room where decisions are made.

And if that breaks up the old boys’ club in the process?

Even better.