Most financial advisors are sitting on a goldmine of data held across different platforms, custodians, CRM systems, planning tools, and third-party feeds. They all face a familiar challenge: an abundance of data and dashboards, but a shortage of actionable insight. With client expectations rising and the pace of change accelerating, advisors who can close the gap between data and action become more valuable to their clients.
The next evolution of advisor enablement is here: decision intelligence.
1. Transform siloed data into actionable insights
Imagine a financial advisor who is juggling a growing client base while navigating three different platforms: one for portfolio management, another for CRM, and yet another for financial planning. Reports are scattered across the systems and often delayed, making it nearly impossible to get a real-time view of client needs.
As a result, the advisor overlooks a key issue: a 63-year-old client’s portfolio remains heavily invested in equities, despite being two years from retirement and having previously discussed shifting to a more conservative strategy. The oversight isn’t flagged by any system, and the advisor, pressed for time and struggling to scale, doesn’t catch it during a routine check-in cycle.
When the client receives her quarterly statement and sees unexpected losses, she calls, frustrated. She expected more: proactive, personalized advice delivered in a seamless, digital-first way. Instead, she’s the one raising the red flag.
This scenario showcases the three factors that are converging to make decision intelligence more essential than ever:
- Client expectations continue to rise. Clients expect proactive, personalized service delivered in a seamless, digital-first way.
- Firms are under increasing pressure to scale. Advisors need to grow their books and improve efficiency, without compromising quality.
- Data environments are increasingly fragmented. Advisors often work across siloed systems with limited visibility, relying on reports that are delayed or difficult to access.
The third point is particularly important. According to Forrester, 60% to 73% of enterprise data goes unused for analytics.1 When data is trapped in systems or delivered too late to act on, its value diminishes—and so does the advisor’s ability to drive results. This complexity undermines advisor productivity and limits the potential impact they can have on client outcomes. Without clear, timely insights, even the most experienced advisors may miss critical opportunities.
Decision intelligence is the integration of data, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation to improve decision-making at every stage. It goes beyond traditional business intelligence (BI) tools by translating data into personalized, prioritized actions that advisors can take in real time.
Unlike static dashboards or manual reporting, decision intelligence supports daily decision-making across a range of advisory needs—from preparing for client meetings to identifying new opportunities for consolidation or tax optimization. With AI for financial advisors, it’s not just about seeing the numbers; it’s about deciding what to do next.
2. Use LLMs and AI Copilots to uncover proactive, client-focused opportunities
We’re evolving the Unified Managed Platform to turn data into intelligent action. By using AI tools like machine learning and large language models, we help advisors make smarter, faster decisions that drive client growth and satisfaction.
To support this, Envestnet is going through an infrastructure upgrade by integrating self-service analytics, decision intelligence, and natural language interfaces across the platform. We’ve developed two AI solutions designed to help close this gap and turn complexity into clarity for advisors.
Generative BI: natural language insights, delivered on demand
Generative BI (Gen BI) is a next-generation interface that uses large language models (LLMs) to deliver insights through natural language queries. Advisors can ask questions such as:
- “Which clients are approaching retirement without a distribution plan?”
- “What’s my AUM growth quarter-over-quarter by segment?”
- “Where are the top consolidation opportunities in my book?”
Gen BI responds instantly with charts, dashboards, or summaries—no coding, no delays, and no need for custom reports. The result: faster time-to-insight and reduced reliance on analytics or BI teams.
Insights AI: your AI-powered co-pilot
Insights AI delivers more than 25 million personalized next-best actions daily, helping advisors identify meaningful client opportunities at scale. These recommendations are tailored to each advisor’s book and might include:
- Meeting preparation insights and prompts
- Rollover or consolidation opportunities
- Tax-loss harvesting suggestions
By surfacing the most relevant, actionable items from millions of data points, Insights AI helps advisors stay proactive and client-focused, without additional overhead or effort.
3. Flag real-time changes to client needs and risk tolerance
Now, let’s imagine a 55-year-old client with approximately $900,000 in investable assets who has always been comfortable with market volatility, favoring a growth-oriented portfolio. An Insights AI detects that the client recently uploaded a college tuition invoice and added a note referencing their child’s freshman year. The system flags a potential shift in short-term cash flow needs and risk tolerance, prompting the advisor to reach out. In their conversation, the client shares that they’re feeling more cautious and would like to reduce risk in part of the portfolio, leading to an updated allocation and plan.
Rather than manually digging through performance reports or CRM notes, the platform synthesizes account data, market conditions, and client behavior to recommend specific, prioritized actions, such as rebalancing the portfolio and scheduling a check-in call.
4. Tailor communication to clients at scale
Advanced AI tools for financial advisors are now generating custom communication strategies that go far beyond surface-level automation. These tools analyze account activity, recent interactions, and life stage milestones to recommend specific email templates, call scripts, and discovery questions. For example, if a client has recently updated their retirement timeline or added a new dependent, the AI might suggest reviewing their cash flow strategy, risk exposure, or estate planning documents. By surfacing relevant talking points in real time, these tools help advisors stay proactive and deeply personal, at scale. Insights AI even suggests specific talking points, questions to ask, and email ideas. The advisor moves quickly to deliver tailored advice, demonstrates proactive service, and strengthens trust—all without hours of manual research.
Looking at these examples, it is not surprising that the business impact of decision intelligence is both measurable and meaningful.
This is not about adopting technology for the sake of technology. It’s about enabling better outcomes for both the advisor and the client. As the wealth management industry continues to evolve, the winners will not be those with the most information, but those who can most effectively translate information into action. That’s the promise, and the power, of decision intelligence.
To learn more about Gen BI and Insights AI, contact your Envestnet relationship manager or visit https://www.envestnet.com/data-solutions.
