The Growth and Performance of Artificial Intelligence in Asset Management

We examine the growth and performance of AI-driven investing.

We examine the growth and performance of AI-driven investing. Using investment advisers' regulatory disclosures, labor market data, and fund strategy descriptions, we document that AI-driven investing has grown steadily since the early 2010s and is concentrated among hedge funds. AI hedge funds outperformed non-AI hedge funds in the early years, but this outperformance declined over time, even among early adopters. Contrary to concerns about AI-driven strategy homogeneity, AI hedge funds exhibit lower return comovement than non-AI peers. Our findings highlight both the alpha-generating potential and the limitations of AI as a source of investment performance.