Digital Employees are Already Here: Alex Schlesinger @ SS&C


AI is moving from hype into infrastructure.In this episode of AI for Advisors, Mark and James sit down with Alex Schlesinger of Advent to discuss what it actually looks like to build AI inside a large enterprise WealthTech organization — and why most firms are still approaching AI the wrong way.The conversation explores the tension between innovation and legacy systems, how large firms think about AI adoption, and why the future may belong to flexible AI platforms instead of one-size-fits-all solutions.What we cover: • Building AI inside large WealthTech enterprises • Why “AI-first” thinking often fails • AI infrastructure vs AI products • MCP, orchestration, and digital employees • Operational efficiency in wealth management • The future of advisor technology stacksChapters: 00:00 – Dogs, tracking tech, and digital employees 07:00 – OpenClaw, AI agents, and orchestration 24:00 – Alex’s background and Advent journey 31:00 – Building AI inside large organizations 45:00 – Why most AI implementations fail 57:00 – The future of AI platforms in wealth managementAbout AI for Advisors: Conversations exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming wealth management, advisor workflows, and the future of financial services.