AI and the Next Wave of Transformation

Asset managers face a challenging environment of reduced profitability brought on by systemic forces.

Global asset managers are grappling with the challenges of a rapidly transforming industry. In 2023, they saw a significant 12% increase in the value of assets under management from 2022. While that overall turnaround is impressive, other numbers paint a different story: Firm revenues expanded only 0.2% in 2023 while expenses increased by 4.3%, and this combination proved negative for profitability, which fell by 8.1%.

With this mixed set of financial metrics, financial stewards face several drivers shaping the current and future landscape of asset management:

• Sluggish revenue expansion has become far too dependent on market value growth. From 2006, market gains have accounted for 90...