(although in the format of a ‘How To’ article that would usually form part of the website’s permanent content, this topic is fluid and I am still learning, so I am leaving the article as an, albeit very detailed, blog post)

Introduction

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game-changer across various sectors, and the investment management industry is no exception. Reviewing and managing a portfolio of UK investment funds can be a complex and time-consuming task.  I have offered subscribers some Excel workbooks over the years, more recently with support from one of your fellow investors who is a spreadsheet programming ace. Both he and I have wondered about adding AI elements to data collection process (the most boring part of the task) or even creating an app that both improves the data presentation and semi-automates the review process.

The App is a work in progress and I may well be able to offer you access to it (at a cost) at some future date, but in the meantime I have explored the possibility of AI completing a portfolio review and quite quickly learned that there can be good outcomes, with genuine portfolio insights, time savings in data analysis and (with care) reliable and repeatable date collection.

A caveat that all experienced AI users will not need to hear is that AI is like an over eager Jeeves – it will always try to please you with some sort of result, making its best efforts credible, even when in fact they are pure fiction.  That means that the way it is tasked to provide data requires some thought and requests must always be qualified with conditions that include reporting the exact sourcing and likely reliability of specific data.