IBM to Embed Autonomous AI Systems Across SEI's Financial Operations
"By deploying and scaling AI across the enterprise through a disciplined, data-driven approach, we will work more efficiently, innovate faster, and scale with confidence"
Financial technology provider SEI has engaged IBM Consulting to deploy agentic AI across its enterprise operations to modernize workflows and strengthen client service capabilities through advanced automation.
The Pennsylvania-based company announced on March 9, 2026 that it will work with IBM to conduct a comprehensive review of its operational systems and embed AI-driven automation into day-to-day processes.
SEI, which manages, advises, and administers approximately $1.9 trillion in assets as of December 31, 2025, aims to build what it describes as a data enabled operating foundation to support long-term growth.
Advancing Automation Across the Enterprise
The collaboration will focus on process redesign and modernization across SEI's operations. IBM will work closely with subject matter experts throughout the organization to assess existing processes, systems, and data infrastructure, identifying opportunities to integrate agentic AI and automation into workflows.
Unlike traditional AI implementations that simply respond to prompts, agentic AI systems can autonomously execute multi-step tasks, make decisions within defined parameters, and coordinate complex workflows without constant human intervention.
This shows an evolution from basic chatbot functionality to systems capable of handling end-to-end business processes.
Sean Denham, SEI's Chief Financial and Chief Operating Officer, stated that operational investment is equally critical as product development when the company enters its next growth phase.
The initiative is designed to enable teams to reduce time spent on manual, repetitive work and redirect focus toward higher-value, relationship-driven activities.
"By deploying and scaling AI across the enterprise through a disciplined, data-driven approach, we will work more efficiently, innovate faster, and scale with confidence," Denham said in a statement. The automation effort aims to elevate service quality, strengthen client trust, and create professional growth opportunities for employees.
IBM's Enterprise Advantage Platform
SEI will utilize IBM's Enterprise Advantage platform as the enabler for this transformation. Launched in January 2026, Enterprise Advantage is an asset-based consulting service designed to help organizations build, govern, and operate tailored internal AI platforms at scale.
The platform allows companies to connect AI to existing systems and scale agentic applications without requiring changes to cloud providers or core infrastructure.
It supports multiple environments including AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and IBM watsonx, allowing organizations to build on existing technology investments.
IBM Enterprise Advantage has already supported more than 150 client engagements and boosted consultant productivity by up to 50 percent. The platform includes a marketplace of industry-specific AI agents that provide pre-built workflows for critical business processes.
“SEI has a long-standing reputation for operational excellence and building integrated solutions in a complex, highly regulated industry. By combining SEI’s deep knowledge of its business with IBM’s expertise in process intelligence and agentic AI, we can unlock new levels of efficiency across the enterprise. With streamlined operations and data‑centric insights embedded into how work is performed, SEI is strengthening its ability to scale while further differentiating itself in the market,” said Glenn Finch, Head of U.S. Financial Services at IBM Consulting.
Strategic Implications for Financial Services
According to IDC, financial services firms are expected to spend more than $67 billion on AI by 2028, with production deployments tied to decisioning and operations seeing the biggest growth.
SEI serves major institutions globally, including 8 of the top 20 U.S. banks and 43 of the top 100 investment managers worldwide. The company earned approximately 57 percent of its revenue from technology and operations outsourcing in 2025.
The announcement comes weeks after SEI reported fourth-quarter 2025 results exceeding analyst expectations and completed the first stage of a strategic investment in Stratos Wealth Holdings for approximately $544 million. No specific timeline or financial terms of the IBM engagement were disclosed.