Bringing smarter, accessible wealth management through agentic AI

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This is a podcast episode titled, Bringing smarter, accessible wealth management through agentic AI. The summary for this episode is: Can agentic AI solve the scalability challenge in wealth management while expanding access to underserved communities? Ramona Ortega believes it can, but only with the right foundation. She explains how WealthBuild has moved from basic chatbots to RAG and now to agentic workflows that can deliver accurate and personalized guidance at scale. In her opinion, the real blockers aren’t algorithms but messy data, governance gaps and enterprise-grade security. Since traditional financial services can’t reach many everyday consumers, she partners with community banks to close the gap. For her, the future lies where AI, APIs and blockchain meet, opening the door to accessible and democratized financial advice. Explore the podcast → https://ibm.biz/BdbuaR

DESCRIPTION

Can agentic AI solve the scalability challenge in wealth management while expanding access to underserved communities?

Ramona Ortega believes it can, but only with the right foundation. She explains how WealthBuild has moved from basic chatbots to RAG and now to agentic workflows that can deliver accurate and personalized guidance at scale. In her opinion, the real blockers aren’t algorithms but messy data, governance gaps and enterprise-grade security.

Since traditional financial services can’t reach many everyday consumers, she partners with community banks to close the gap. For her, the future lies where AI, APIs and blockchain meet, opening the door to accessible and democratized financial advice.

Explore the podcast → https://ibm.biz/BdbuaR

Today's Host

David Levy

|Host

Today's Guests

Ramona Ortega

|Founder & CEO, WealthBuild

Ramona Ortega, Esq. is an award-winning tech entrepreneur and social impact leader shaping the future of financial services with AI. As founder of WealthBuild, she pioneered AI-powered agentic workflows that help financial institutions and SMBs deliver personalized client solutions, boost operational efficiency, and maintain compliance across every channel. WealthBuild is part of the IBM Fintech Fast Pass program, and Ramona also built the largest Latinos & tech event during SXSW in Austin, TX. Previously, she founded My Money My Future, a leading financial literacy and inclusion platform that partners with the NASDAQ Foundation on the THRIVE Campaign to activate the next generation of investors. She has been a founding team member of Azlo, a BBVA-backed neo-bank, an angel investor, and fractional General Counsel for Rhia Ventures. A former Wall Street attorney and U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission alum, Ramona brings two decades of expertise at the intersection of law, regulation, tech, and economic justice. Early in her career, she led high-impact nonprofits, submitted the first U.S. shadow report under ICERD to the United Nations, and served as a delegate to the World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa. Recognized as one of Crain’s Most Notable Women in Financial Advice, 100 Most Influential Latinas (Latino Leaders), and a Politico Impact Leader, Ramona has also been featured in HBO’s Gaming Wall Street. She holds a B.A. from UCLA and a J.D. from Fordham School of Law, and serves on the board of Camino Financial. Her honors include the 2019 Inspiring Fintech Females Award, the Frederick Douglass 200 Award for Entrepreneurship, and the Hispanic Heritage Award from the NYC Council.

Ramona's LinkedIn