How AI and Automation are reshaping financial advice

The financial advice industry is undergoing a period of rapid experimentation, as advisers and licensees increasingly adopt AI and automation to drive efficiency and scale.

Below are three examples of firms leading this transformation.

AGS Financial Group: Automating First, Then Embracing AI

AGS Financial Group, with 18 advisers across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, has spent the past nine years refining its use of technology, automating repeatable tasks before introducing AI.

Instead of using off-the-shelf tools like Copilot, AGS has customised Salesforce to automate client file notes, reducing the task to five minutes.

It integrates Calendly to automate client review bookings and pulls data from Salesforce to pre-populate reports. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) logs into platforms using policy numbers, retrieves data, and saves files to client folders automatically.

Financial adviser Paul Bolstad said the firm committed $2.5 million over five years and hired in-house tech staff to support growth. “There was a huge risk, but we weren’t looking to cruise—we wanted to grow,” he said. The investment has paid off, with Bolstad estimating advisers are seeing around 30-40% more clients.

AGS also uses this logic-driven approach in its investment strategy, matching portfolios to client risk profiles and avoiding redundant portfolio structures. It prefers to use Separately Managed Accounts (SMAs) and uses risk profiles to segment its client base. By leveraging RPA, it can deliver a four-page review document using an automated and repeatable process.

Yarra Lane: Outsourcing AI for Scalable Efficiency

Yarra Lane is a Melbourne-based advice practice embracing AI and RPA to eliminate manual tasks such as report generation and compliance checks. CEO Nicholas Perrett described the results as “staggering.”

Instead of building in-house solutions, Yarra Lane outsources RPA and tech support services to Vital Business Partners, highlighting how smaller practices can access AI capabilities affordably. For example, bots track review dates, draft adviser emails, and manage client appointments via Microsoft tools.

Much of this automation happens after hours. “Our planners work by day, and our bots work by night—logging into systems, downloading reports, and saving them to SharePoint for advisers,” said Perrett. This approach has significantly boosted productivity without increasing headcount.

“AI and robotics are doing a lot of the heavy lifting for our professionals,” said Perrett. “I think there are at least 50 processes where I can see this helping our teams deliver better, more consistent results.”

The business is tracking strong automation results, including more clients served, lower costs, improved margins, faster task completion (from two weeks to 48 hours), and redeployed resources.

Arch Capital: Scaling Advice Through Education and Digital Engagement

Founded in 2012, Arch Capital is a Sydney-based, self-licensed firm that built an AI-driven content platform to reach younger clients and scale its impact.

Originally serving 100 clients, the firm now supports up to 800 people through digital content, videos, podcasts, educational courses, and a direct investment platform. While not all users receive personal advice, the platform provides a guided journey, helping users to self-educate and then act when they are ready.

“We just wanted to make sure people didn’t go down the wrong path,” said Director Nigel Baker. “Clients love that we’re helping their kids and grandkids.”

Now used by about 30 other advice firms, the platform is gaining traction. “When we started, people said it was too hard or compliance was a barrier. Now, firms are calling us,” Baker said.

Arch Capital’s approach shows how technology can scale advice meaningfully, reaching more people while staying aligned with the profession’s core purpose.