Morgan Stanley to Open Stock Plan Platforms to Client AI

Morgan Stanley will soon allow corporate clients to connect external artificial intelligence agents directly to its core stock plan administration platforms, a significant step as Wall Street banks explore deeper integration of autonomous systems into financial infrastructure. The initiative, set for a broader rollout next year, will enable AI tools to interact with the bank’s ShareWorks and Equity Edge systems without human intermediaries.

According to Mark Mitchell, chief product officer of Morgan Stanley at Work, the bank envisions a future where corporate clients no longer log into these platforms directly. Instead, they will use AI-powered tools within their own companies to interact with Morgan Stanley’s systems in an automated way. The bank has already granted early access to a select group of clients and plans to extend the capability to its full base of approximately 3,400 administration clients starting next year.

The move aims to streamline complex administrative tasks associated with equity compensation, such as managing stock grants, vesting schedules, and compliance reporting. Mitchell noted that fast-growing technology and biotech companies, which represent a...