Margaret Franklin
CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals, has launched the Handbook of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Applications in Investments, (“AI Handbook”), published by the CFA Institute Research Foundation. The Handbook reveals how asset managers are using AI and big data technologies to augment the investment process in pursuit of enhanced investment and business outcomes.
Through contributions from data scientists and investment leaders at firms including AllianceBernstein, APG, Goldman Sachs, Man Group, Neuberger Berman, NVIDIA, Ping An, Robeco, and Virtu Financial, the CFA Institute Research Foundation AI Handbook offers an inside view of the investment industry’s adoption of data science to generate investment insights, build more resilient portfolios, make better trading decisions, streamline client service, develop client-centric products, and gather business intelligence.
Margaret Franklin, CFA, President and CEO, CFA Institute commented: “At CFA Institute we view the combination of artificial intelligence and human intelligence as the winning formula for successful financial institutions in the future. As AI and big data applications become increasingly integrated into the investment process, industry professionals need to be well equipped to evaluate and incorporate these practices effectively. We hope the AI Handbook can support the industry in adopting artificial intelligence and big data practices in a meaningful way for the ultimate benefit of clients. We extend our deep thanks to our collaborators whose time and resources afforded to this important work ensure the practical nature of the AI Handbook.”
Larry Cao, CFA, Senior Director of Research, CFA Institute said: “The industry’s needs have grown from asking for proof that AI and big data work, to asking for an action plan that can provide support to firms’ strategy as machine learning methodologies rapidly become mainstream. The AI Handbook is the latest in a series of CFA Institute research aimed at equipping practitioners and policymakers with the tools to evaluate and incorporate AI and big data techniques with the highest standards.”
AI Handbook contents
The AI Handbook is written from the industry perspective and based on real-world, battle-tested solutions. Release I of the AI Handbook, published this week, provides “guided tours” of the current state of machine learning and data-science applications in investments through detailed insights from authors at Robeco, Goldman Sachs, and Neuberger Berman. Contributors from Applied AI, AllianceBernstein, Off-Script Systems, and Two Centuries Investments discuss advances in natural language processing and generation in the investment context including ESG analysis.
Release II of the AI Handbook, to be published in April, will offer leading-edge studies in trading with machine learning and big data from Virtu Financial and Man Group. Deep insights into chatbot, knowledge graphs, and AI infrastructure from the investment perspective, including intelligent customer service, accelerated AI and use cases in investment management, will be offered by Ping An and NVIDIA. A case study of Symbolic AI is offered by APG Asset Management.
Larry Cao, CFA, added: “There is no single best operating model for data science integration that fits all asset management firms. Technologies must be customised to fit organizational culture, structure, core value proposition, strategic prioritization, and budgeting methods. The handbook offers a companion to support firms to start, refine, or plan the next phase of their data science journey.”