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The planned collaboration will pair students and faculty with industry experts. Broadridge’s account of changing junior roles highlights the skills students may need.
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Announced Nov. 11 after a Nov. 6 workshop, the planned AI Innovation Lab will pair Stony Brook students and faculty with Broadridge experts on practical fintech problems. The collaboration also responds to a changing entry-level role: Broadridge CTO Roger Burkhardt says AI now handles software tasks once assigned to junior staff, leaving newcomers to frame problems, assess generated code and catch security flaws. The lab’s value will depend on whether projects teach that judgment, not just AI-assisted coding.
Stony Brook introduced the lab at the close of its FinTech Workshop in the university’s New Computer Science Building.
Burkhardt said AI is handling increasingly complex software-development work at Broadridge, including tasks previously assigned to junior employees.
Burkhardt cautioned that new employees may face these expectations without first gaining years of experience through routine assignments.
Stony Brook University is partnering with financial technology company Broadridge on an AI Innovation Lab intended to give students experience with real finance problems. The educational goal comes with a challenge: Broadridge says AI is already taking on software tasks once assigned to entry-level staff, changing what beginners need to know.
The university detailed the partnership on November 11, 2026, following its announcement at the November 6 FinTech Workshop. Samir Das, chair of Stony Brook’s Department of Computer Science, introduced the lab at the close of the event in the university’s New Computer Science Building.
The planned lab will bring students, faculty and industry experts together to tackle practical challenges involving AI and financial technology. Stony Brook describes the work as developing AI-powered solutions to real industry problems, putting hands-on learning at the center of the collaboration.
“We see this partnership as a model for how universities and industry can work together to advance technology and prepare the next generation of talent.”
Samir Das, chair of Stony Brook’s Department of Computer Science
At the same workshop, Roger Burkhardt, Broadridge’s chief technology officer of capital markets and AI, described the shift behind that training challenge. He said AI was handling increasingly complex software-development responsibilities at the company, including work previously given to junior employees.
New employees may be expected to define problems, evaluate AI-generated code and spot security vulnerabilities, Burkhardt said. Those expectations can arrive without the years of experience workers traditionally gained through routine assignments. His account points to a gap between producing code with AI and knowing whether that code is sound.
Burkhardt encouraged students to experiment with AI development tools while learning to assess their output. He also emphasized critical thinking and communication with users as lasting skills. The advice covered both using the tools and judging the quality of what they produce.
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