TD Ameritrade is expanding the ways retail investors can access its brokerage platform using voice commands.
TD clients can now use any device with Google Assistant — whether it's a television, smart speakers, Android phone or smartwatch — to get hands-free information and insights on their investments.
For example, an investor could simply say, "Hey, Google, check my TD Ameritrade portfolio," and instantly get information about their current holdings.
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Google Assistant is available on more than 1 billion devices, and Google
says active users of the technology quadrupled in 2018.
Vijay Sankaran, chief information officer at TD Ameritrade, believes voice-controlled technology is the future and called the Google Assistant functionality "another major piece" in the company's expansion across various voice platforms.
In July, TD Ameritrade
introduced similar functionality for Google's Android Auto and Amazon.com's Echo Auto, both voice-command systems for automobiles.
"Now, nearly any client, on nearly any smart device, has the ability to connect with us seamlessly in a way that feels natural to their lifestyle and doesn't ask them to leave their current platform or routine," Mr. Sankaran said in a statement.
The increased convenience comes with new security concerns, but Mr. Sankaran said TD's new functionality is built with data security and privacy in mind. For example, if the client uses a shared device like Google Home, the Assistant will only read percentage changes aloud and not monetary values.
TD isn't the only company investing in being available to clients on voice-controlled digital systems. Voice-command technology
took center stage at October's T3 Enterprise conference, and Morgan Stanley is
partnering with a third-party brand management firm to ensure its advisers are top references from Siri, Alexa and Google.
Envestnet Yodlee is also building voice-command functionality, and Envestnet Tamarac executive managing director Andina Anderson recently echoed Mr. Sankaran's opinion that voice is the
future of digital user experiences.
"It's a level beyond logging into a portal," Ms. Anderson said on a media call hosted by Schwab Advisor Services. "That's what we are working toward."
