Agile Project: Contemporary Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Adoption by Fund Managers 

Project Summary

The financial industry contributes 8.3% to the UK’s economic output and is undergoing an AI transformation. Fund managers have a fiduciary responsibility to invest and advise responsibly on behalf of their clients. How are funds using AI/ML? Could it enable UK financial firms to achieve better returns and reduce risks? What challenges do such firms face in understanding and implementing AI/ML solutions? What are the emerging UK policy and regulatory issues? This project aims to investigate the factors influencing AI/ML adoption by fund managers in addition to evaluating the effectiveness of ML on operational efficiency and investment performance. 


These questions have important ramifications for how funds are managed in UK financial services and how the economy and society may benefit as the result. Research into AI/ML technologies and their applications will be of great interest to pension funds, asset management companies, brokerage services, insurance companies, regulators, and those developing related policies. 


The project will identify trends in technology adoption and how to address potential risks and challenges. Stakeholders will gain insights into what companies are doing to leverage AI/ML and what this means for future development in this crucial area of applied fintech.  The project will also contribute to advancing knowledge and innovation in the field of AI/ML for finance and foster tangible collaboration between academic and industry partners. 

Project team

Dr Huamao Wang

University of Nottingham 

Associate Professor in Finance, Risk and Banking 

Professor Meryem Duygun

University of Nottingham

Professor in Finance, Risk and Banking 

Dr Sam Beatson

University of Nottingham 

Assistant Professor in Finance, Risk and Banking 

Dr Linh Hoang Nguyen 

University of Nottingham 

Assistant Professor in Accounting and Finance