Joel P. Bruckenstein, founder of the Technology Tools for Today (T3) Conference, shares what’s changing as advisor technology enters a more consequential phase. With the 2026 T3 Conference set for March 9–12 in New Orleans, Bruckenstein explains why this year’s agenda puts applied AI front and center through the launch of AI University, how wealthtech platforms are shifting from point solutions to workflow engines, and what advisors need to understand to keep pace as the technology gap between firms continues to widen.

T3 has earned a reputation as the largest technology-focused event for financial advisors — what new directions or innovations are driving the 2026 conference, and how do they reflect current industry challenges?

The big new thing this year is that we’re launching AI University on day one of T3. Anyone registered for the full conference will get access at no additional cost, while those who only want to attend AI University on Monday can sign up separately for just $499. How is our AI University different? There are plenty of AI conferences and sessions out there, but very few provide practical, hands-on guidance for advisors and their teams on how to actually use AI in their businesses.

The sessions at T3’s AI University, which will be led by some of the top professionals in the industry, will be highly interactive. The goal is for attendees to walk out not just inspired, but with real, actionable skills they can apply immediately to make AI meaningful for their practices. The AI “professors” we’re lining up are amazing teachers and subject matter experts when it comes to applied technology and AI use for financial advisors.

What can students expect to learn at the University?

AI University is unique in the industry in that it offers an opportunity for attendees to learn about the latest AI capabilities for financial advisors. Attendees can expect to learn from industry leaders on the adoption of AI in the wealth management space.

One of our professors is John O’Connell, CEO of The Oasis Group. John is the most published thought leader on artificial intelligence in the wealth management space. John’s session will demonstrate using large language models and retrieval augmented generation to evaluate a prospect’s portfolio and create a client proposal live.

The agenda spotlights cutting-edge solutions, from AI-driven growth strategies to workflow automation. Which technologies or platforms do you expect will make the biggest impact for advisors at the 2026 conference?

We’re still months away from the T3 conference, so it’s hard to predict what will prove to be the most impactful when we get there, given the rapid pace of change. But I can highlight a few exhibitors we already know will be at T3 who are doing some really interesting work with AI.

For example, Advyzon is automating a lot of workflows directly within their platform through AI. Syntax Direct is applying AI in very creative ways to build what I’d call the portfolio construction platform of the future. FP Alpha has been using AI for quite some time now to power innovation in tax planning, income tax, estate tax, and more. There are many other companies doing innovative things with AI in various areas, including AdvisorEngine, Dispatch, TradePMR and its partnership with Robinhood, TaxStatus, Invent, and more.

The other important thing to note about T3 versus other conferences in the financial services space, is that T3 tends to attract the tech founders and chief technologists – so attendees can walk right up to the innovators building the tools and provide input, ask questions, challenge the status quo and so forth. Other conference halls might be full of sales people manning their booths – but at T3, the actual creators and innovators are there and highly accessible.

Studies highlight organic growth as a key challenge in wealth management. How will the T3 conference in March 2026 help advisors and firms navigate growth hurdles using technology, and what are some standout solutions you expect to be presented at the event?

One of the things that’s capping organic growth in our industry is that there are too many manual processes in advisor offices, both front and back office. Nearly every exhibitor at T3 is offering facilities to allow advisors to automate manual tasks, freeing up time for advisors to focus on higher-value activities, such as prospecting, deepening relationships, increasing share of wallet with existing clients, and targeting new prospects.

A couple of specific marketing solutions that we expect to see at T3 include FMG Suite, which is increasingly powered by AI, and Catchlight from Fidelity Labs, which we think is doing some really innovative work in that space.

As you prepare for the next T3/Inside Information Tech Survey, what new categories or areas of technology do you anticipate adding — especially those reflecting emerging advisor needs or wealthtech innovation in 2026?

There’s definitely a stronger emphasis on some of the AI categories, and we’ve added one or two new categories. However, in every category, we continually update – refining the categories, refreshing the list of participants, and highlighting new findings on emerging technologies that emerge from the survey each year.

Survey co-producer Bob Veres and I will present the initial findings at the T3 Conference in New Orleans March 9-12, 2026.

As technology evolves, how do conference panels, workshops, and networking opportunities strike a balance between digital innovation and human-first approaches to client relationships?

At T3, we're big believers in the importance of advisors in the whole value chain of financial services. That’s why so many of the panels and workshops that we present there are about empowering advisors with technology as opposed to replacing advisors with technology.

I spoke with goRIA podcast host Chuck Failla about what makes T3 different and the community we have been building for the past 20+ years.

With more than two decades of T3 history, what excites you most about the legacy and future of the T3 Conference — especially as advisor technology turns the corner into 2026 and beyond?

I think we're at an inflection point in financial advisor technology. There’s really a revolution happening, and I’m not sure all advisors are fully aware of it yet. The pace of change is probably as fast as it’s ever been in our lifetimes. From a positive standpoint, we’re very excited about helping advisors navigate these new technologies to become more productive and add more value for their clients. But there’s a challenge, too. Advisors who aren’t staying current on technology and aren’t constantly monitoring the changes going on in technology are advisors are bound to be left behind. The good news is that advisors are going to be better equipped than ever to serve their clients.

The challenge is that if you’re not paying attention to what’s going on, you’re going to pay a heavy price for not staying up to date. T3’s AI University on Monday, March 9, 2026, followed by a very robust and well-rounded wealthtech-focused agenda will showcase the latest-and-greatest, the tried-and-true, and virtually all the cutting-edge innovations being tested in the trenches now. Other conference organizers have tried to do what T3 does, and no one has succeeded for long. T3 is the place where the industry gathers once a year to advance conversations and truly make a difference in the financial services industry.

Joel P. Bruckenstein, a certified financial planner, is an internationally recognized expert on applied technology for financial professionals and the publisher of the information portal T3TechnologyHub. He is also the producer of the annual Technology Tools for Today (T3) Conference, the only wealthtech conference serving the needs of independent financial advisors and those who support them.

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