Public.com CEO on AI agent rollout: AI makes it easier to be a sophisticated investor
Speakers
Deirdre Bosa -- Host
— CNBC anchor, tech reporter
Andrew Ross Sorkin -- Host
— CNBC Squawk Box host
Summary
- Public.com is launching "AI Agents" directly within its brokerage app, allowing users to automate investment strategies through natural language commands.
- The AI can monitor markets, manage cash, execute trades, and implement specific strategies like protective put hedges on oil price spikes, automatic cash sweeps into bonds, and daily scans for covered call opportunities.
- Jannick Malling states the product shifts the user interface from manually entering orders to expressing investment objectives and intent (e.g., "increase my position if valuations compress another 15%").
- The agents operate within a deterministic workflow tied to the user's account to prevent hallucinations or improvisation, with full user visibility and control.
- Since launch, 50% of user conversations with the AI Agent have led to a transaction within 24 hours, indicating high user engagement and conversion.
- The service is free for Public.com customers, positioning it as a core feature to drive platform adoption and activity.
- Malling frames this as the dawn of the "Agentic Brokerage," reversing the trend of brokers being reduced to mere trade execution and moving back towards a tech-powered full-service model.
- The AI is currently reactive (user-initiated), but Public.com is experimenting with proactive alerts and sees this as the near-term future.
- The core thesis is that AI lowers the barrier to implementing sophisticated investment strategies (like options spreads) for retail investors, potentially increasing their activity and sophistication.
Speakers
Summary
- Public.com launches AI agents enabling retail investors to automate strategies through natural language commands.
- Agents perform tasks like hedging with protective puts on oil price spikes, optimizing cash into bonds for yield, and scanning for covered call opportunities.
- Shift from manual order entry to setting objectives (e.g., "increase my position if valuations compress 15%") via conversational AI.
- AI runs deterministically within the brokerage account to avoid hallucinations, with full transparency and user control.
- Since launch, 50% of AI conversations led to a transaction within 24 hours, indicating high conversion.
- Agents are free for Public.com customers and can run in parallel without cost.
- CEO frames this as the "agentic brokerage" era, reversing the discount broker trend by restoring personalized, algorithm-powered service.
- Future may evolve from reactive to proactive agent recommendations for opportunities.
- Core implication: AI lowers barriers to sophisticated investing (e.g., options strategies), potentially increasing retail participation and trading frequency.
- Key uncertainty: Effectiveness and risk management in live markets are not detailed beyond examples; reliance on platform integration.
