Vanguard Debuts Gen AI Tool to Enhance Adviser-Client Communications

The Vanguard Group Inc. has launched its first client-facing generative AI tool designed to help financial advisers deliver more efficient and personalized client communications. The new product provides customizable summaries of Vanguard’s most-read market perspectives, tailored to the client’s financial knowledge, investing stage and preferred tone.

In addition to generating tailored content, the tool automatically produces required disclosures, streamlining the process of sharing information with clients. Vanguard’s Financial Advisor Services unit, which supports more than 50,000 advisory firms and 150,000 advisers, sees the new tool as part of its broader mission to enhance advisor-client interactions and boost practice efficiency, the firm said.

World Investment Advisors Gets Access to Pontera’s Platform

Pontera Solutions Inc., a fintech company helping financial advisers manage workplace retirement assets, has given retirement-focused advisory firm World Investment Advisors LLC access to its platform.

The deal gives World’s network of more than 350 advisers the ability to manage, trade and report on clients’ 401(k) accounts and other workplace retirement accounts.

Integrated Partners to Implement Fraud Tools to Protect Clients

Integrated Partners, a national financial planning and registered investment advisory firm, will use financial safety platform Carefull’s AI-powered technology to protect its clients from fraud.

The artificial intelligence-based solution protects against identity theft and financial scams that often target older Americans. Carefull protects against fraud by monitoring suspicious transactions, credit card activity and unusual behavioral patterns.

Integrated has more than $21 billion assets under advisement, including $15.6 billion in advisory assets.

First Rate Launches Alts Data Management Solution to Streamline Wealth Management

First Rate, a financial technology solutions company, launched an alts data management solution to streamline its wealth management operations. The product intends to assist firms with efficiency in managing, analyzing and gaining insights from their respective alternative investment portfolios.

Features of the solution include: automated data processing which reduces human error; real time insights; streamlined document flows and an easy integration into companies’ existing systems.

Vestmark Consolidates Trading and Portfolio With Corient

Wealth management software and services provider Vestmark Inc. will consolidate its investment platform with wealth management company Corient Private Wealth LLC, creating a single platform with a centralized portfolio offering trading capabilities across about $177 billion in assets.

Vestmark has $1.6 trillion in assets on the VestmarkONE model portfolio platform, with more than 65,000 advisers supported by Vestmark technology.

Pacific Life’s Workforce Benefits Integrates With bswift

Pacific Life’s workforce benefits division announced a new integration with bswift LLC, a leading cloud-based benefits technology platform, to deliver a streamlined, digitally native experience for employee benefits administration.

Pacific Life’s digital advantage simplifies the benefits process for brokers, employers and employees, covering products such as dental, vision, life, disability, accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity insurance, according to the company’s announcement.

Guardian Enhances, Expands its Guardian MarketPerform

Guardian Life Insurance Co. announced its Guardian MarketPerform, a registered index-linked annuity, will now be available in New York, and the company has added additional investment options to the platform.

The platform is a long-term, tax-deferred retirement product. It offers features to limit exposure to market risk, while providing potential for investment growth for people saving for retirement.

CAZ Investments, iCapital Expand Strategies Geared at Owning Stakes in Professional Sports Teams

Caz Investments L.P., a private equity allocator, and fintech platform iCapital have teamed to give financial advisers and their clients streamlined access to Caz’s core investment strategy of owning minority stakes in professional sports teams.

The strategy is now available on the iCapital Marketplace, as investors can obtain stakes in American sports leagues, following on from the NFL’s decision to open the door to private equity ownership in 2024.

Invesco Launches 3 Active ETFs to Expand Investor Access

Global asset manager Invesco Ltd. launched three active exchange-traded funds: the Invesco QQQ Hedged Advantage ETF, Invesco Comstock Contrarian Equity ETF and Invesco Managed Futures Strategy ETF.

The products seek to offer investors access to growth and diversification strategies with the company’s in-house portfolio management teams.

Zest AI Expands Gen AI Lending Platform With LuLu Strategy Module

Zest AI has unveiled LuLu Strategy, the latest module in its generative-AI-powered lending intelligence platform. The new tool delivers performance insights and actionable analysis through AI-driven simulations, marking the next phase in Zest AI’s road map to transform financial intelligence solutions for lenders, the company reported.

Initially launching exclusively for MeridianLink customers, LuLu Strategy provides financial institutions of all sizes with access to advanced generative AI tools, once largely limited to use by national institutions. By integrating public and institution-specific data, the LuLu platform offers a centralized intelligence hub, allowing lenders to optimize operations and improve portfolio performance.

Key features of LuLu Strategy include policy simulations to model business outcomes, insights into borrower behavior, analysis of unbooked applications to identify missed opportunities, and ongoing loan performance monitoring to refine lending strategies, according to information from Zest.