The RIA's Chartbook
No. 05

Supervising AI That Acts

A compliance officer's guide to AI that signs in, prepares, and submits: four levels of authority, the rules that already apply, and a worksheet for approving each workflow.

October 22, 2026  ·  13 pages  ·  Free PDF

Cover of The RIA's Chartbook No. 05: Supervising AI That Acts

Before AI clicks Submit in a client’s account, a firm needs three answers: who authorized it, what exactly was approved, and what record remains.

AI at independent RIAs is moving from answering questions to doing the work: signing in, preparing, submitting. The rules firms already follow reach it.

Inside this issue

  • Four levels of AI authority, and the difference between authorizing a task and approving an action
  • Where the compliance rule, books and records, Reg S-P, custody, and the marketing rule meet AI that acts
  • Stopping and recovery: who can pause a workflow, and what to do when a result is uncertain
  • A one-page worksheet to approve each AI workflow before it goes live

The chartbook is free, with no form. Read it in your browser or download the PDF.

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