Most of us know that we should invest, but how to begin doing so is a different question. During my internship at Singlife, I was given the perfect opportunity to find out. As part of a two-month challenge, my manager handed me S$300 and told me to invest it. In this article, I’ll share how I used AI (specifically ChatGPT) to build my first portfolio and what I learned along the way. While this article shares my personal experience, it is not intended as financial advice.

The problem with the challenge my manager set for me? I had zero investing experience. I didn’t know what platform to use, how to choose stocks or even what kind of investor I was. However, I knew investing was something I wanted to do eventually in the long term. Thus, I decided to take this as an opportunity to see what investing is like when you’re just starting out. 

Since it was my first time investing, I needed help, but I wasn’t going to blindly follow whatever stock TikTok gurus were hyping up or copying Nancy Pelosi’s portfolio (the US politician’s stock trades have been attracting online buzz). I wanted to understand what I was investing in and why I was investing in it, instead of bumbling my way through and hoping for the best.

So, I did what any confused Gen Z might do: I turned to ChatGPT and asked for help to build my portfolio.

Going from clueless to curious investor with ChatGPT

Why did I turn to ChatGPT in the first place? As a university student, I have used ChatGPT for everything from summarising lecture notes to planning holidays and writing emails. Thus, it felt like a natural place to start when I had questions about investing. Here’s what I asked ChatGPT:

▪ help me understand the basics of investing

▪ suggest a beginner-friendly portfolio based on my goals

▪ explain the rationale behind each recommendation so I can better understand the process  

As a beginner, I knew I didn’t want to wake up at ungodly hours just to track the stock market. What I wanted was something simple, relatively low-risk, and long-term. My goal was to place my money somewhere that could give me better returns than just leaving it in a bank. Ideally, around 7 to 8% growth per year over the next five to 10 years.

While it would be nice to earn a profit during this two-month challenge, that was not my focus. I saw this as a chance to learn by getting hands-on experience with investing and figuring out my investing preferences. What level of risk am I comfortable with? Do I prefer stability over growth or the other away around? These were things I could only discover by trying. With this framework in mind, ChatGPT offered a suggestion.

What ChatGPT suggested: A mix of stocks and ETFs

ChatGPT suggested I split my portfolio into around 20% ETFs (exchange-traded funds) and 80% individual stocks. I’m not going to lie, it sounded like pure jargon at first. After a bit of research however, here’s how I’ve come to think of stocks and ETFs.

ChatGPT suggested purchasing these four stocks with varying risk levels, giving the following rationale:

• Nvidia Corp.: This gives you exposure to a high-growth tech company. It helps you understand how more volatile, fast-moving stocks behave – especially in emerging sectors like AI (artificial intelligence).
• Apple Inc.: A stable, blue-chip stock that’s easy to understand. It helps you build confidence and see what consistent, long-term growth looks like.
• Sea Ltd.: This introduces you to a regional tech player based in Southeast Asia. It adds some diversification and lets you explore a company that’s closer to home, with a bit more risk.
• GameStop Corp.: A wildcard pick to help you experience how speculative or meme-driven stocks behave. It’s not a long-term fit, but useful for learning about volatility and risk.

It also suggested purchasing one ETF, SPDR S&P 500 (SPY). This is an equity ETF, which tracks the S&P 500 made up of 500 biggest companies in the US. 

• SPDR S&P 500 ETF: A great starting point for beginners – this ETF gives you broad market exposure with lower risk, aligning well with your long-term, low-effort goals.
 

What happened over two months? Did ChatGPT help me make money?

My investment journey started with setting things up on my chosen investment platform. The process was straightforward. I just needed my Singpass and proof of address. The platform let me trade in US markets with live price tracking and simple buy/sell functions. There was no minimum investment, which made it feel less intimidating, although I did have to take note of foreign exchange fees and a small commission per trade. The hardest part? Honestly, it was clicking “buy” and trusting that I wasn’t doing something terribly wrong.

Following ChatGPT’s suggestions, I went ahead and bought the recommended stocks and ETFs. The first few days were surprisingly stressful. I caught myself checking my investment app more times than I’d like to admit. When the portfolio dipped at the start, I had this sinking feeling of “Did I just lose money in less than a week?” It was only a small drop, but it was enough to show me how quickly emotions can creep into investing.

By the one-month mark, my stocks began to recover. Granted, there were still some dips along the way, but there were no dramatic surges or overnight wins – just real-life investing in motion. And that’s the point. Investing is not supposed to be thrilling every day. Instead, it’s about patience, consistency and trusting the process.

After two months of following ChatGPT’s suggested investment strategy for me, you must be wondering: Did this experiment make me money?

Okay, it doesn’t look like much more than what I started with. But ultimately, my portfolio grew. As at the two-month mark, my portfolio is up by around 5%. While I didn’t hit my ambitious 7% profit target, this experiment taught me an important truth: investing is a marathon, not a sprint. Real results are not seen in days, weeks or even months. They compound over time.

What I learnt from letting AI invest for me

At the end of the day, my biggest takeaway was not the dollars I made, but the lessons learnt along this journey.

• Understand your investment style and what you are investing in. ChatGPT’s picks revealed my preferences: volatile stocks like GameStop aren’t for me, while Nvidia’s AI focus and SPY’s steady growth feel like better fits. I’ve learned that I’m a cautious investor who needs to believe in what I invest in – and that’s perfectly okay. The key is to truly know the companies behind the tickers, not just chase trends. Investing isn’t about timing the market; it’s about building something that lasts.
  
  AI is not a crystal ball. While ChatGPT can offer suggestions, it shouldn’t make the final decisions for you. You need to have the ultimate say. Personally, I’ll adjust my portfolio after this challenge by continuing to add money to steady picks like Nvidia and SPY.
  
  
• Get your basics right first. Think of your finances like a pyramid. The foundation needs to be strong before you can build upwards. That foundation is protection, such as insurance and emergency funds, which keep you secure when life throws curveballs. Only once those essentials are in place should you start growing your investment portfolio. Tools like the Singlife Starter Pack can help you build that foundation, so you can invest with confidence no matter which stage of life you’re in.

Conclusion

This two-month challenge showed me that investing doesn’t have to be intimidating – even for total beginners. With the right mindset, some curiosity and tools like ChatGPT to guide you, it’s possible to take the first step with confidence. I may not have all the answers yet, but I now know how to ask better questions, manage risk and stay focused on the long term. And that’s a solid start. If you’ve always been keen on investing and ready to start out, don’t hesitate to seek advice from a financial adviser to find out what is right for you.