By: Private Advisor Group Marketing
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept for the financial services industry—it’s become a powerful tool for real-time productivity and enhanced client service. According to Accenture, over half of financial advisors believe that AI will transform the future of financial advice within the next three years.
Still, it can seem daunting to get started. Many advisors are navigating how to find the right tools and use them effectively—without running afoul of compliance standards or losing their personal touch.
At the Private Advisor Group 2025 Annual Conference, advisors shared their firsthand experiences with AI—what’s worked, what hasn’t, and how they’re evolving as they incorporate AI tools into their workflow.
Powering Productivity
Saving time has been one of the greatest immediate benefits of AI for advisors—especially when it comes to routine but important tasks like client communication and documentation.
Advisors want to share thoughtful, personal communication with clients, but that level of customization takes time.
This is especially true when handling a lot of details or a sensitive topics. Elaine Shanley of Finance Forward uses AI to bring greater efficiency to her process—helping her shape personalized client messages that are not only well-crafted, but also uniquely her own.
Seconding this, Craig Breitsprecher of Thrivepoint Financial added, “I have found it to be very helpful in guiding original thought or coming to a more tailored solution that you can deliver to your clients.”
Advisors are also using AI to streamline their documentation. There was a consensus that using Jump, currently the only AI-powered note-taking tool approved by Private Advisor Group, to support client call notes was a huge time-saver.
“Once the meeting is over, your notes are done,” said Regina McCann Hess of Forge Wealth Management. “It organizes tables with the key details and figures, as well as providing a spot-on summary. I was blown away by the abilities!”
Saving time can mean more time to focus on other things that are important to advisors and their business. Breitsprecher said: “Jump has reduced the number of nights and weekends that I am working. It creates a lot of white space on your calendar, and for me, that means more time in the gym, with my spouse, taking care of myself and ensuring I am fit to serve my clients.”
Enhancing Client Service
AI isn’t just helping behind the scenes with brainstorming communications and taking notes—it’s also improving client relationships by making advisors more attentive and accurate.
Many AI tools, including Jump, will integrate with client relationship management (CRM) software, which can help track different types of important information. RedTail and Wealthbox were two CRM providers favored by advisors.
“Advisors play a giant game of telephone,” explained Breitsprecher.
“When a client says something noteworthy, it must go from my ear to my brain to my pen to my computer. There are a lot of errors that can be introduced in that chain of events, but when you use Jump, it automatically creates a task in your CRM with the subject and details of the to-do you promised a client. I found this results in more accuracy in client service.”
Shanley shared that using AI for note-taking has allowed her to be more present in client meetings: “I’m not worried about catching all the financial updates or the little life details I want or need to remember.”
With the help of AI tools, advisors can be more present in conversations, more proactive in remembering the little details that help build relationships, and more attentive to action items that need to be done.
Addressing Potential Client Concerns
Understandably, some advisors worry that using AI during a client meeting might feel impersonal or intrusive. But with clear communication, clients are often very receptive.
McCann Hess explained that Jump is designed to listen for financial and compliance-related information, filtering out other parts of the discussion that are not relevant to the ongoing client relationship and servicing.
Recalling her initial hesitation about asking permission to use note-taking AI, McCann Hess shared: “I’ve got zero pushback. It’s all in our heads.”
Breitsprecher offered a simple way to introduce the idea: “I’ve got this note-taking app that I’m running on my phone. It’s going to make sure I take the right notes, and it will save me about half an hour. Do you mind if I use it?”
Finding the Right Tools
With the flood of AI solutions entering the market, choosing the right tools is crucial. However, you don’t, and shouldn’t, have to do all the heavy lifting of evaluating all the options alone.
“If you answer all the FinTech solicitor emails and start testing a bunch of tools that don’t match your needs, you’ll quickly become a beta tester, not a financial planner,” Breitsprecher warned.
Instead, lean into your network. Leading firms offer vetted tech stacks, curated for functionality and compliance, which can help narrow options and often include provider discounts at scale. Additionally, peer recommendations can help cut through the noise and point you toward tools that truly solve real problems. Private Advisor Group offers access to an exclusive digital community in Greenhouse for its advisors to crowdsource new tech ideas, share insights, tech hacks, and lessons learned.
As adoption of AI increases, advisors who learn to use these tools thoughtfully will be better positioned to deliver exceptional service while conserving their time and energy, and optimizing their well-being.
