Introducing the Research Agent

Advisors spend a lot of time looking for information. Emails, chats, folders, internal tools, external portals and client files all hold pieces of the picture, yet the whole is hard to see. One of our clients told us that an employee spends around ten hours per week searching internal systems. That is time not spent advising their client. 

The Research Agent changes this. It searches across mail, files and firm data, assembles the relevant context, and drafts a clear response with sources and next actions. It works within the guardrails set in the AI Architect Space, only using approved knowledge, and connects through the MCP Agent to all your tools, modern and legacy. 

How it works

The Research Agent helps in three main ways: 

1. Firm knowledge on demand 
   Ask general questions about your firm’s expertise or point of view. Answers draw only from approved knowledge and show the sources behind them. 
   
2. One client file, all sources 
   Search across multiple data points within a client file. Numbers, context, communications and documents are combined to prepare you for meetings and decisions. 
3. Portfolio-wide insight
   Query across all client files to generate actionable lists. See which clients meet a condition, who is missing documents, or who is affected by a change in legislation. Save lists as live cohorts and hand them to campaigns for targeted outreach. 

Coaching Mode 

Alongside concise answers, the Research Agent can switch into Coaching Mode. In this setting the explanation is deliberately longer, with the reasoning broken down step by step. It shows how the conclusion was reached, which sources were used, and why each piece of context matters. 

This is more than transparency. It is a way for juniors to learn how expert reasoning is applied, for seniors to keep control over quality, and for firms to turn AI into a teaching tool rather than a replacement. Coaching mode accelerates the talent pipeline, safeguards standards, and builds trust by making the thinking behind every answer visible. 

What it means in practice

You find what you need faster and put time back into client work. Answers arrive with sources, and you can drill into detail when needed. Portfolio research becomes a single step, with lists and next actions ready to go. You stay in charge, as the agent works within your rules and only uses sources you approve. 

Examples of what you can ask:

• “Draft a meeting agenda and talking points for Client X in my style.”
• “Show me the latest tax filings and open items for Client Y.”
• “Which clients still need to send their year end accounts?”
• “What is our firm’s point of view on ESG reporting requirements?”
• “Summarise all communications with the insurer for Claim 472.” 

What's next

The Inbox Agent makes email effortless. Now the Research Agent shifts more of your time from searching to advising. Advisors get instant clarity, managers see consistent answers grounded in approved knowledge, and clients feel the benefit in faster, better service. This is only the start. Because the Research Agent can query the full client portfolio, a question can become an actionable list: clients affected by a change in legislation, accounts still missing documents, policies coming up for renewal. Save the list as a live cohort, track status, and hand it to your campaigns for targeted outreach through the Inbox Agent. In short, Research does not only find information, but it also helps you activate your client base.