<\/p>\n
The notetakers are turning into “agentic operating systems,” becoming the client relationship management of a business. What sort of firms are driving this change forward and what are the opportunities and downsides? Our US correspondent takes a look.\t \t \t <\/p>\n
\n AI software companies are forging a new category that combines
\n notetaking and CRM capabilities into what they hope will be the
\n long sought-after Holy Grail for RIAs \u2013 data integration in an
\n all-in-one inclusive operating system.\u00a0
\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cNotetakers are becoming agentic operating systems that want to
\n run everything in your business,\u201d Craig Iskowitz, CEO of the
\n fintech consulting firm Ezra Group<\/a>, explained to
\n readers in his latest newsletter. \u201cThey\u2019re expanding into
\n proposal generation, compliance, financial planning and
\n workflows. They\u2019re becoming CRM.\u201d
\n<\/p>\n
\n The standalone AI notetaker category, which exploded in
\n popularity\u00a0less than two years ago and is the most widely
\n used AI app, \u201cwill not exist in its current form by 2028,\u201d Ezra
\n Group\u2019s 2026 Strategic Buyers Guide concluded. \u00a0
\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0
\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0
\n<\/p>\n
\n A new comprehensive operating model change may be emerging, and
\n while RIAs are clearly interested in an all-in-one solution, they
\n have heard those promises before.
\n<\/p>\n
\n Modera Wealth
\n Management<\/a> CEO Tom Orecchio recalled a proposed \u201cSilver
\n Bullet\u201d solution to data integration over a decade ago that never
\n fulfilled its promise. \u201cThe ability to create a central data base
\n is what everyone wants,\u201d Orecchio said.
\n<\/p>\n
\n Leslie Norman, chief technology officer for Dynasty
\n Financial Partners<\/a> agreed, adding, \u201cThe big question for
\n these new AI capabilities is \u2018How does this integrate into an
\n RIA\u2019s broader tech stack?\u2019\u201d
\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cNotetaking completely commoditized\u201d
\n Vendors may or may not be able to yet provide an answer, but they
\n are clearly moving beyond apps that transcribe and summarize
\n meetings with suggested follow-up actions.\u00a0
\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cNotetaking has become completely commoditized,\u201d said Shakeel
\n Lala, the CEO of Marloo<\/a>, a new agentic entry
\n into the AI market for RIAs.\u00a0\u201cThe market is beginning to
\n realize that transcription alone is not a durable competitive
\n advantage,\u201d added Ian Karnell, CEO of AI software company
\n VastAdvisor<\/a>.
\n<\/p>\n
\n Leading notetaking firms like Jump<\/a>, Zocks<\/a>, Cognicor<\/a> and Zeplyn<\/a> are all jumping on the
\n agentic OS bandwagon, according to Iskowitz. Practifi<\/a>, Slant<\/a> and Wealthbox<\/a> have emerged as
\n CRM-native AI notetakers, a new category that Iskowitz said
\n \u201cstructurally threatens the standalone model.\u201d CRMs and other
\n legacy apps \u201care building notetakers because they don\u2019t want to
\n be disintermediated,\u201d he added.
\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cAgentic OS belongs in the system of record\u201d
\n Agentic operating systems are beginning to offer financial
\n advisors workflow execution, bidirectional CRM synchronization,
\n document ingestion, MCP server integration and compliance review,
\n according to the Ezra Group\u2019s Buyer\u2019s Guide.
\n<\/p>\n
\n RIAs like Modera want \u201cone data lake\u201d where they can onboard new
\n clients, populate forms, receive client information and
\n performance reporting and rebalance portfolios, said Orrechio.
\n<\/p>\n
\n Slant replaces an advisor\u2019s existing CRM and integrates with
\n communication tools, file storage systems and custodian,
\n according to Slant co-founder Thomas Clawson. \u201cWe believe agentic
\n OS belongs in the system of record, not as an add-on tool,\u201d
\n Clawson said.
\n<\/p>\n
\n Marloo can generate reports, prep client meetings, monitor
\n compliance and coordinate dozens of other activities for advisors
\n from a central database, according to Lala. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to
\n reinvent the way advisors work, not just build tech for
\n advisors,\u201d he said.
\n<\/p>\n
\n What advisors want
\n Nonetheless, advisors want to see how the new agentic AI tech
\n from vendors like Marloo, Slant and VastAdvisor works.
\n<\/p>\n
\n Orecchio wants to see demos of the tech in action, but \u201cnot just
\n from the tech guy. There should also be somebody from our world
\n who speaks the language of advisors. This kind of technology
\n isn\u2019t just going to be run by operations but is going to be used
\n by advisors.\u201d
\n<\/p>\n
\n Data comes from more sources than notetaking and CRM, Dynasty\u2019s
\n Norman noted. \u201cWhat sources of information are populating their
\n database? How far back in time does the data go? Is there
\n preprocessing? Will there be integration? What are the security
\n protocols?\u201d
\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cRough and tumble market\u201d
\n Breaking into an extremely competitive fintech market for RIAs
\n and asking them to switch systems won\u2019t be easy.\u00a0
\n<\/p>\n