Giving wealth advisors a stronger foundation with the help of AI tools

Artificial intelligence (AI) now sits inside the everyday workings of financial services, but how it is used and how thoughtfully it is applied varies across institutions. At TD Bank Group (TD), the commitment to AI is not a response to sudden market enthusiasm—it is the continuation of years of investment. Much of that work has unfolded intentionally within TD Wealth. New capabilities are tested internally, refined through real use, and validated before they reach TD wealth advisors.

As Jeanne Foucault, Vice President, Wealth, Data and Analytics for TD Wealth notes, “we recognized an opportunity to modernize knowledge management and enable faster, more efficient access to information and that work starts by ensuring tools are reliable before wider deployment."

TD has entered a new phase of its work, one centred on advisor enablement. The bank is deploying AI tools that help strengthen the quality of day-to-day client conversations.

A tool that helps strengthen advisor confidence

Wealth advisors at TD do more than deliver information. They interpret it. They guide clients through uncertainty. They translate policies, markets, and personal priorities into decisions that feel understandable and sound. That work is grounded in trust, and trust depends on clarity.

What sometimes creates pause for a wealth advisor is the hesitation caused by incomplete information. A question may be simple, yet the answer may rely on a lengthy review of a policy manual or internal procedure. Before the TD Wealth Virtual Assistant, finding that detail sometimes required stepping away, logging into a different system, or verifying with a colleague.

TD built the TD Wealth Virtual Assistant to close that gap. It offers quick, accurate access to information, so TD wealth advisors and those that support these roles do not have to break the rhythm of a conversation. The tool does not replace judgment. It supports it. It reinforces confidence at the exact moment when a client is looking to them for clarity.

“We are streamlining processes, reducing manual reviews, and simplifying everyday tasks,” Pauline Chiu, Senior Vice President, Chief Operations Officer, TD Wealth explains. “But the real impact is quieter. TD wealth advisors feel confident they can perform their role quickly and efficiently. They can trust that the information they are drawing on is consistent and reliable.”

Since launching in October 2025, the TD Wealth Virtual Assistant has supported approximately 28,000 chats from 2,100 TD Wealth colleagues and latest available internal reports show the tool is performing at 93% accuracy with 60% of intended users leveraging it at present.

The tool also learns from the people who use it. When a colleague notices something unclear or suggests a needed addition, the feedback loop captures that insight and influences future updates. This keeps the TD Wealth Virtual Assistant aligned with how TD wealth advisors think and work. It becomes a companion that grows with the organization.

In this sense, the tool strengthens the foundation beneath every conversation. Trust is easier to uphold when the information behind it is easier to confirm.

A different approach to digital transformation

Financial institutions often speak broadly about digitization, but it does not always show up in ways that matter to wealth advisors. TD is focused on applying technology where it meaningfully supports colleagues in their day-to-day work to solve persistent, everyday problems.

“We are investing in digital transformation to make banking simpler, faster, and more connected for clients,” Foucault explains. “But those goals only matter if the technology supporting them is rooted in how people truly work. At TD, innovation is designed to help colleagues stay present in client conversations, rather than navigating multiple systems during interactions.”

The same principle helps shape the creation of the TD Wealth Virtual Assistant. Rather than beginning with a piece of technology and searching for a purpose, the team focused first on the moments that caused TD wealth advisors to hesitate. It could be a policy detail that needs quick clarification, a procedural step buried deep within older systems, or an answer an advisor already knows but wants to verify before saying. These small points of hesitation add up, influencing confidence and disrupting client conversations. The TD Wealth Virtual Assistant was designed to address those moments directly, offering fast, accurate support that keeps TD wealth advisors closer to their clients.

This work was supported by an important decision made years earlier. TD migrated its data to a secure cloud environment, creating the flexibility needed to build and update future AI tools. Foucault notes that this foundation allowed the team to move quickly and with confidence as new capabilities emerged.

Layer 6, the in-house AI research team at TD, built the TD Wealth Virtual Assistant. Their ongoing model research and evaluation ensures that the tool is aligned with the realities of wealth management rather than adapted from a broader consumer model.

Shaping a more responsive advisor client relationship

The relationship between wealth advisors, clients, and their financial institutions has always been shaped by communication. Clients expect answers that are timely, accurate, and tailored to their individual priorities. TD wealth advisors want to offer guidance that is clear and grounded. Institutions have a responsibility to ensure those answers reflect policy, regulation, and sound practice.

Generative AI (GenAI) has the potential to bring these elements closer together. When it is used responsibly, it helps information move more fluidly through the system. It gives TD wealth advisors a clearer picture of what matters to their clients and allows them to respond with greater precision.

“By providing personalized insights at the most relevant moments, GenAI empowers TD wealth advisors to proactively address client priorities,” said Chiu.

With stronger tools in place, TD wealth advisors can anticipate the next question before it is asked. They can stay on track in sensitive conversations. They can ensure that the guidance they offer is both timely and aligned with the client’s needs.

Of course, progress requires discipline. The financial sector carries significant responsibility around privacy, oversight, and accuracy. TD emphasizes the importance of strong governance, clear model validation, and ongoing monitoring. The bank’s human in the loop model ensures that people remain central to every decision, every update, and every use case.

A clear direction built on trust and human judgment

The demands placed on wealth advisors are not getting lighter. Market conditions shift quickly. Clients expect more tailored guidance. Regulations change. Institutions face constant pressure to balance innovation with responsibility.

The TD Wealth Virtual Assistant reflects the bank's broader effort to support wealth advisors through these changes. It reflects a belief that the best use of AI in wealth management is not flash, but structure. Not automation, but clarity. Not replacing human judgment but reinforcing it.

“We are taking a human in the loop approach to GenAI, which allows colleagues to train, test, and work alongside the technology,” Foucault explains. "TD wealth advisors stay in control. The technology enhances what they already do well."

As the use of AI tools continues to grow, the advisory experience is positioned to feel more fluid and connected. Information will be easier to verify. Conversations will be grounded in greater confidence. And institutions will continue refining the systems behind the scenes to ensure responsible use.

The TD Wealth Virtual Assistant is not a dramatic shift. It is a thoughtful step toward strengthening the core of advisory work. Trust, clarity, and human judgment remain at the center. The technology simply helps them stand on firmer ground.

This article has been produced in partnership with TD Wealth