Institutional Giants Shaped AI Strategy for Operations

Asset managers are integrating AI to streamline post-trade workflows and manage complex data transformation.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Financial Services

Isometric editorial illustration of interlocking geometric cubes and smooth conduits, representing complex financial infrastructure and institutional data operations. — State Street and Brown Brothers Harriman are deploying artificial intelligence to optimize post-trade workflows and improve developer productivity for their $60 trillion in managed assets. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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At the Sibos Miami conference, leaders from State Street and Brown Brothers Harriman outlined how they are applying artificial intelligence to improve developer productivity and operational efficiency. These firms, which manage over $60 trillion in combined institutional assets, are prioritizing AI to address post-trade transformation and future workforce needs.

Why it matters

Operators must monitor how large-scale financial institutions redesign workflows, as these AI integrations signal broader shifts in how post-trade operations and cybersecurity will be managed across the industry. The focus on automation reflects an effort to adapt to evolving complexity in settlement cycles and data management.

State Street and Brown Brothers Harriman manage over $60 trillion in combined institutional assets, including approximately $58 trillion managed by State Street alone. This scale underscores the resources being deployed toward initiatives like Project Glasswing to evaluate AI for cybersecurity.

The players

State Street

A global financial services company and custodian bank that manages approximately $58 trillion in assets.

Brown Brothers Harriman

A private banking and financial services firm that operates the AI-focused affiliate Braid.

Ron O'Hanley

The Chairman and CEO of State Street who oversees the firm's strategic focus on operational technology.

Bill Tyree

The managing partner at Brown Brothers Harriman who is set to retire at the end of 2026.

The details

Brown Brothers Harriman manages AI adoption through a specialized committee co-chaired by its heads of cybersecurity and change, while State Street is using AI to boost developer productivity. Both firms are also exploring digital transformation and tokenized money market funds, which are expected to eventually provide new access to retirement assets.

State Street agreed to purchase BBH Investor Services in 2021.
Sibos Miami began on September 28, 2026.
Sibos Miami concludes on October 1, 2026.
Bill Tyree will retire from Brown Brothers Harriman at the end of 2026.

Market Landscape

These AI strategies follow the industry's recent efforts to navigate the complexities introduced by the T+1 settlement cycle transition. While firms continue to prioritize AI, they note that broader digital transformation initiatives may ultimately have a greater impact on post-trade operations.

Operators should monitor how their own service providers shift toward AI-automated workflows, as these changes may alter how data and settlement tasks are executed. Firms should evaluate whether their vendors are prioritizing similar workforce and operational redesigns to stay competitive.

The takeaway

Large-scale institutional players are prioritizing AI to solve post-trade operational complexity and future workforce demands. Operators should review their current service contracts to identify where providers are implementing new automation tools that could impact long-term data management workflows.