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AI will transform investing, but human expertise remains the key to unlocking its potential

12 Oct 2026

From Acadian Asset Management

thematics impacting AI and the potential impacts for investors.

Acadian Asset Management has published new analysis examining how artificial intelligence is reshaping the investment process and why the future of successful investing will depend not on AI alone, but on the combination of advanced technology, proprietary capabilities and human judgement.

The report examines that while AI is enabling investors to analyse more information, automate complex tasks and uncover new insights, it remains human expertise that guides decisions, sets objectives and turns technology into sustainable investment advantage.

As access to AI becomes increasingly widespread, the managers best positioned to translate AI into durable investment advantage will be those that effectively combine it with proprietary investment capabilities, data and human expertise.

Key highlights:

Agentic AI is shifting more analytical responsibility to systems, but human judgement is becoming more important
- AI agents can exercise discretion over the analytical process itself, helping to define, sequence and refine the tasks required to pursue an investment objective.
- This changes, but does not diminish, the role of human expertise. As systems take on more of the analytical work, human judgement becomes more important in setting objectives, defining constraints, establishing validation standards and assessing whether AI-generated analysis is sound.

AI adoption alone will not determine investment performance
- Greater productivity and research capacity do not automatically translate into stronger active performance, as AI does not create new underlying market mispricings and active investing remains inherently competitive.
- For asset owners evaluating how managers are using AI, Acadian highlights four organisational foundations that will be critical:
  - Skilled people who know how to use AI effectively.
  - Good tools and systems that support investment decisions.
  - High-quality data for AI to analyse.
  - A strong culture of innovation where people and technology work well together.

Read the report.

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