We are at a critical turning point in human history as developments in the field of artificial intelligence revolutionise the ways in which people work, learn and play – to the same extent that the printing press, steam engines, electrification, telephones, television, computing and the internet changed the world. While the integration of AI promises radical productivity improvements across a range of activities, concerns are growing that such technologies will exacerbate social inequality, the spread of misinformation, and financial volatility, to name just a few. And then there is the “known unknown” risk of so-called singularity in which AI surpasses human intelligence.

Some 20 years ago, the Forum stood out from the crowd by arguing that the “Turbo of Technology” was one of five megatrends that would shape portfolio construction for decades to come. It’s hard to remember, but Google was just a baby! But it seems we ain’t seen nothing yet. Not only has the Turbo of Technology arrived, a ludicrous exponential curve is upon us. Technology is more than one of five Megatrends – it is THE megatrend! Investment fund managers, service providers and practitioners must understand the risks and opportunities associated with the unfolding evolution of technology and AI, and take specific action relevant to multi-asset, multi-manager investment portfolio construction. Doing nothing is not an option!

Alex Pollak, Clare Flynn Levy, Dominique Dwor-Frecaut, Grant McCarthy, Matt Heine, Shane Baldacchino