Grant Thornton partnered with ThoughtLab, an analytics-driven thought leadership firm, to sponsor and contribute to “The AI-powered investment firm,” a new global report examining how AI is reshaping the asset and wealth management industry. Based on a Q3 2025 survey of 500 senior executives across top investment markets, the findings reveal barriers and opportunities firms face as they navigate the next era of intelligent automation, as well as a playbook of best practices.

The asset and wealth management industry is at a turning point. Nearly three-fourths (73%) of asset management industry executives say AI is critical to their organization's future, according to a new global survey conducted by ThoughtLab. But many also struggle to translate that ambition into successful AI transformation.

“AI is reshaping every part of asset and wealth management, from investment decisions to client engagement and compliance,” said Shona O’Hea, Grant Thornton’s Asset Management Head of Industry. “We partnered with ThoughtLab on this survey to hear from industry leaders directly to help firms move past experimentation and into delivering value. The firms making the biggest impact aren’t rushing to adopt every new tool, they’re aligning AI to strategy, building in stages and staying focused on their unique goals.”

Highlights from the report:

AI-Powered Investment Revolution

• The AI revolution is seen as critical for the future of wealth and asset management firms.
• AI enhances client interactions, optimizes investment portfolios, and automates repetitive tasks.

Survey Insights on AI Adoption

• Conducted by ThoughtLab, the survey included 500 firms across various sectors in investment markets.
• Respondents included asset management firms (15%), private banks (13%), hedge funds (12%), and fintechs (12%).

AI's Role in Wealth Management

• 73% of executives believe AI is essential for their organization's future.
• AI is expected to improve client interactions (64%) and revolutionize the sector (63%).

Current AI Utilization Across Functions

• 59% of firms use AI for customer analysis; 58% for conversational support.
• In the middle office, 57% utilize AI for regulatory monitoring, while 46% in product development.

Progress in AI Transformation

• 78% of firms cultivate a culture encouraging AI innovation.
• 73% harness cloud-based platforms for AI deployment, and 67% have governance policies in place.

Challenges in AI Adoption

• 55% cite conservative culture as a barrier; 51% struggle with inadequate data quality.
• Regulatory uncertainty is a significant hurdle, with 31% of technology leaders highlighting it.

Data Management and Security Concerns

• 53% of firms lack robust security systems; 51% have not established data cleaning processes.
• Data integrity is crucial for AI effectiveness, yet many firms face challenges in achieving it.

ROI and AI Investment Returns

• One-third of firms report small or no returns on AI investments; 22 months is the average payback period.
• Leaders in AI maturity see higher returns (4.7%) compared to others (3.1%).

AI Leaders and Their Strategies

• 21% of firms are classified as leaders, achieving significant ROI through informed AI strategies.
• Leaders excel in aligning AI with business goals, resulting in increased revenue and improved compliance.

The full report can be found here.