The Global Technology & AI Peer Study will explore current and future technology practices among global asset owners. The focus is on technology strategies and AI including the relationships to governance, investment models, organisational design.
It will develop a peer‑based, system‑level understanding of how global asset owners are integrating technology and AI across people, process and governance to strengthen total‑portfolio outcomes.
The study aims to:
- identify emerging best practice
- highlight key tensions and trade‑offs and provide practical framing to support strategic leadership discussions
Technology is entering a new era of AO influence with technology and AI becoming core to investment decision‑making, governance and operating models. So, a strategic and governance reset is likely to be required at most investment institutions. With many organisations also moving toward Total Portfolio Approach (TPA), this shift increases the importance of joined‑up intelligence and clear governance.
The project will focus on the large global asset owners – from among the most prominent AOs in the AO100 (AUM around or above $100B, global best-practice mind-set). See Thinking Ahead Asset Owner 100.
Technology is reshaping the investment industry at an unprecedented pace. The opportunity is not simply to do things faster, but to combine human judgement with new technological capabilities to make better decisions, build more resilient organisations and improve long‑term outcomes for beneficiaries.
Roger Urwin, Co-founder at the Thinking Ahead Institute
Related pages
Sign up to our event in October: MSCI x Thinking Ahead Tech Study Summit
Asset Owner Peer Study 2024: Global Asset Owner Peer Study on best practices
Key resources
Technology/AI hub
A central resource for Thinking Ahead Institute research and insights on how technology and AI are reshaping investment organisations, markets and decision-making.
Asset Owner 100 study
This annual study gathers data on the total assets of the top 100 asset owners around the world as well as the top 10 insurers and the top 10 foundations and endowments.
Technology Ecosystem Working Group (participants only)
A dedicated webpage where you can find all of the information for the Technology Ecosystem Working Group.
Perspectives from our global network
Part 1: Charting AI in the investment industry with RBC Global Asset Management
Jaco van der Walt, Head of Quantitative Investments and Lead of AI for Alpha at RBC Global, discusses agentic AI, the future of the investment manager and staying ahead.
Part 2: Charting AI in the investment industry with CFA Institute
Mona Naqvi , Managing Director, Research, Advocacy & Standards at CFA Institute, gives insight into how we navigate a changing AI landscape and the skills we need.
Part 3: Charting AI in the investment industry with Dragonfly Thinking
An AI agent with beliefs? Sue Brake, Chair of the Board at Dragonfly Thinking, dives into her 6+ months of building AI agent.
Part 4: Charting AI in the investment industry with Aware Super
Simon Warner, Chief Investment Officer, at Aware Super, gives us insight into how AI is enabling and reshaping investment organisations today.
