Agentic AI Transforms Asset Management in 2025

An Inflection Point

Asset management is at a pivotal moment with Generative AI. Historically cautious, the industry now faces macroeconomic shifts that demand durable, forward-looking strategies. Despite growing technology budgets, 60-80% is spent on legacy systems, not transformation. AI initiatives must align with investment goals, operational models, and governance standards.

Like transformative technologies of the past (e.g., automobiles, the internet), GenAI is evolving from isolated pilots to integrated solutions. The second wave focuses on enterprise value, with AI agents embedded in workflows, autonomously executing tasks under human oversight.

From Isolated Pilots to Integrated AI Agents

GenAI entered asset management in two forms:

1. Broad, off-the-shelf copilots offering limited productivity gains.
2. Fragmented pilots confined by legacy processes.

Agentic AI reinvents the investment process with autonomous digital co-workers that perceive, plan, and act within defined bounds. These agents handle multi-step tasks (e.g., monitoring data, analyzing patterns, drafting reports) and offer traceable, auditable outputs—critical for regulated industries.

Proven Use Cases

• Early Warning and Monitoring: AI agents provide continuous oversight, flagging anomalies like unusual trading patterns or compliance issues in real time.
• Research and Analysis Acceleration: Agents extract financial metrics, summarize earnings calls, and collect macroeconomic data, freeing analysts to focus on insights.

Key Enablers for Success

To scale AI from prototype to production, asset managers must focus on:

• Workflow Integration: Embedding AI into existing tools (e.g., Excel) maximizes ROI.
• Human Oversight: Governance frameworks ensure auditable outputs and controlled access.
• Data Architecture: Unified data systems and real-time pipelines are essential for AI effectiveness.

The Future: AI as Industry Standard

Agentic AI is maturing, with advanced models capable of finance-specific reasoning. Firms integrating AI across functions will gain a competitive edge amid macroeconomic pressures. Moody’s Agentic Solutions exemplifies this shift, combining decades of data expertise with AI orchestration.

About the Author

Omar Khan, Senior Director of GenAI at Moody's, drives AI solutions for financial services. With experience in private equity and AI startups, he focuses on measurable business impact. A NYU Stern graduate, Khan also advocates for environmental causes.