Against the stunning autumn backdrop of Bozeman, Montana, industry leaders gathered for two immersive days of dialogue, discovery, and forward-looking insight at the Big Sky AI Forum 2025. The event brought together executives, innovators, and investors from across the financial technology landscape to explore how artificial intelligence is redefining the business of advice—from operations and compliance to growth and governance.
The Forum’s atmosphere was one of both optimism and pragmatism. Conversations weren’t about abstract potential—they were about measurable transformation already underway in the wealth management ecosystem. From predictive analytics and agentic automation to conversational intelligence and ethical oversight, each session highlighted how firms are deploying AI not as a buzzword but as a catalyst for clarity, productivity, and scale.
Our Presenting Sponsor, Envestnet, set the tone by demonstrating how its Decision Intelligence platform is embedding data-driven insight into every aspect of financial advice. They were joined by Docupace, VastAdvisor.ai, Tuttle Capital Management, FMG, JUMP.ai, and Mature AI—each delivering a unique perspective on what it means to lead in the age of intelligent finance.
The gathering opened with FMG’s cocktail reception overlooking the Bridger Mountains—a scene that perfectly captured the spirit of the event: connection, curiosity, and collaboration in one of the most beautiful places in America. What followed over the next two days was an unfiltered look at how AI is transforming financial services from the inside out.
Envestnet | “Decision Intelligence” — Jeremi Karnell, Envestnet
The Forum opened with Jeremi Karnell, Head of Envestnet Data Solutions, who delivered a powerful session on Decision Intelligence—a data-driven framework designed to enable advisors and enterprises to move from reactive to proactive client engagement. Karnell outlined how the platform integrates data science, behavioral context, and predictive analytics to deliver personalized advice at scale and empower advisors with real-time, insight-based decisioning.
At the heart of his presentation was Envestnet’s Insights Engine, now generating over 25 million daily insights across more than 90 categories. These data-driven insights help advisors surface hidden opportunities, anticipate client needs, and act with greater precision. The adoption metrics shared underscored one clear trend: artificial intelligence is fast becoming the invisible infrastructure of modern advice.
“Your clients aren’t hiring you for speed—they’re hiring you for discernment,” one slide read, encapsulating the ethos behind Envestnet’s AI strategy. Decision Intelligence, Karnell emphasized, is not about replacing the advisor—it’s about amplifying human judgment through smarter, data-enriched decisioning.
👉 View the Envestnet presentation deck here
Docupace | “Reinventing the Back Office with AI” — Mike Zebrowski, COO
Next came Docupace, whose Reinventing the Back Office with AI presentation illustrated how automation is evolving from task-based tools into intelligent, agentic systems. Chief Operating Officer Mike Zebrowski detailed the firm’s Palantir-powered “agentic platform,” which transforms complex operational processes into orchestrated, self-learning workflows.
Using a simple example—a missing client signature—Zebrowski contrasted the traditional 21-day remediation process with Docupace’s AI-powered workflow, which resolves the same issue in under four hours. The platform’s 380,000 users generate millions of data points daily, creating a network effect where every transaction sharpens the system’s intelligence.
“We’re building it right—not fast and broken,” Zebrowski said, describing how Docupace’s long-term vision centers on orchestrated agents that collaborate across systems, delivering exponential efficiency and proactive compliance. The result, he noted, is a digital workforce built for scalability and trust.
👉 View the Docupace presentation deck here
VastAdvisor | “Inflection Points That Redefine Industries” — Ian Karnell, Founder & CEO
Editor’s note: Although Ian Karnell ultimately presented a live walkthrough of the VastAdvisor Enterprise platform rather than this prepared deck, we’re sharing the presentation below to give readers a glimpse into the ideas that inspired his discussion at the Forum.
Ian Karnell, Founder and CEO of VastAdvisor, brought an energizing and forward-looking perspective to the stage with Inflection Points That Redefine Industries. Drawing parallels between the steam engine, the internet, and AI, Karnell described artificial intelligence as “the steam engine of our era”—a technology that scales growth, not just efficiency.
He noted that wealth management now faces its own “dot-com moment,” driven by declining referrals, soaring client-acquisition costs, and an $84 trillion intergenerational wealth transfer already in motion. His firm’s solution, VastAdvisor Enterprise, was introduced as an AI Growth OS for Wealth Management, designed to help firms own their digital presence and client growth rather than rent it through third-party lead providers.
“Every industry reaches a point where the rules change,” Karnell told the audience. “For wealth management, that moment is right now. Don’t rent your future—own it.”
👉 View the VastAdvisor.ai presentation deck here
Tuttle Capital Management | “Inside H.E.A.T.” — Matt Tuttle, CEO
From SPY puts and volatility trades to pre-merger SPACs and thematic equity exposure, Tuttle outlined an approach that thrives on behavioral insights and structural asymmetry. The model, he argued, allows investors to “win a lot and lose a little”—a philosophy that’s particularly resonant in today’s volatile markets.
He closed by challenging advisors to rethink conventional asset allocation: “The old 60/40 isn’t broken—it’s irrelevant. The next decade belongs to investors who can think thematically and act dynamically.”
👉 View the Tuttle Capital Management presentation deck here
JUMP.ai | “From Efficiency to Effectiveness” — Liam Hanlon, Head of Insights
Liam Hanlon of JUMP.ai delivered one of the Forum’s most data-driven presentations in From Efficiency to Effectiveness. Drawing from over one million advisor-client conversation transcripts, Hanlon demonstrated how conversational intelligence can reshape the way advisors communicate and close business.
The firm’s research revealed that only 15% of advisor meetings include a discussion about creating a financial plan—and when advisors delay that conversation until the second half of the meeting, success rates fall by 31%. JUMP’s AI also identified which persuasion strategies drive the best outcomes: emphasizing trade-offs, aligning with long-term goals, and leading with empathy.
“AI isn’t here to replace the human touch,” Hanlon concluded. “It’s here to reveal the patterns that make human connection more meaningful—and more effective.”
👉 View the JUMP.ai presentation deck here
Mature AI | “AI Adoption — From Exposed to Ready” — Greg Woolf & Scott Helfrich
Greg Woolf and Scott Helfrich of Mature AI provided a masterclass in operational readiness with AI Adoption — From Exposed to Ready. Their 10-week roadmap—covering assessment, planning, and implementation—laid out a clear framework for firms moving from experimentation to transformation.
They emphasized agile governance, responsible AI design, and risk-based execution as the foundation of sustainable innovation. Their “build vs. buy vs. blend” framework helped attendees identify where in-house control is critical versus when to leverage trusted external models.
“AI maturity isn’t about having the most tools,” Woolf said. “It’s about having the right guardrails. Confidence comes from clarity.”
👉 View the Mature AI presentation deck here
Keynote | “Leadership in the AI Environment” — Brian J. Allen, Esq., AI Reg/Risk Think Tank
The mid-day keynote by Brian J. Allen, Esq., offered a timely reminder that innovation must move in step with accountability. In Leadership in the AI Environment, Allen addressed the fiduciary and regulatory implications of AI deployment across the financial system.
Referencing landmark cases like Caremark, Marchand, and Boeing, he explained how directors and executives face a growing “duty of oversight” in monitoring AI systems that influence investment or compliance outcomes. His message was clear: good governance is not a passive function—it’s an active, informed system of checks and balances built on transparency and ethical design.
👉 View the AI Reg/Risk Think Tank keynote deck here
A New Era for AI and Finance
Across every session, the Big Sky AI Forum affirmed that artificial intelligence is no longer a distant vision—it’s a defining force in how financial firms operate, compete, and serve their clients. Whether through automation, analytics, or augmentation, AI is bridging the gap between efficiency and empathy, bringing intelligence to every layer of financial advice.
In the coming weeks, Digital Wealth News and AI&Finance will publish a series of sponsor whitepaper briefs summarizing the key takeaways and practical insights from each presentation.
From all of us at Digital Wealth News and AI&Finance, thank you for being part of this growing community at the intersection of technology, trust, and transformation.
