The firm will use the unit to support wholesale banking first, then broaden its human-AI collaboration model across research, WM, IB and digital platforms.
Shinhan Securities said on August 3 that it has created the AI Agent Department, the first such unit at a South Korean financial company, as it pushes a model in which humans and AI work together. The new unit sits under the company’s AX Division and is designed to handle information research, document preparation and other support tasks so employees can focus on higher-value work. The department consists of four agents: one team leader agent and three role-specific agents. The leader assigns tasks, while the others carry them out, hand work off to one another and produce final output. Shinhan Securities said the structure is meant to go beyond simple automation by treating AI as a digital co-worker rather than a back-office tool. Final output will still be reviewed by humans, and an AI specialist will also oversee governance, security and quality control. The first pilot project will support the wholesale business by preparing meeting materials and proposals, conducting market research and analyzing issues. Shinhan Securities said it plans to standardize operating principles and gradually expand the model to research, wealth management, investment banking and digital platforms. Chief Executive Officer Lee Sun-hoon said the initiative is a "new challenge that goes beyond a simple digital initiative and fundamentally changes the company’s DNA."