AI in portfolio management: How technology is reshaping the manager’s role

Artificial intelligence is quickly moving from being a buzzword to becoming a practical tool for investors. It is already being used to screen stocks, analyse data, spot patterns and monitor portfolios. But how far can it shape investment decisions, and where can it add real value to the investment process?

This discussion will take centre stage at the ET Alpha Wealth Summit 2.0 on October 8 in Mumbai, where Atul Suri (MD & CEO, Marathon Trends) and Dhiraj Relli (MD & CEO, HDFC Securities Limited) will discuss the role of AI in Portfolio Management.

They will be joined by Ravi Dharamshi (CIO, ValueQuest) and Sonam Srivastava (CEO, Wright Research) to examine how AI is being used in investment decisions, where it can make a meaningful difference and where human judgement still matters.

AI in investment research

Investment teams can spend hours going through company filings, market data, news and other information before arriving at an investment view. AI can process much of this information faster, highlight patterns and bring relevant signals to the surface.

That can make research more efficient and help investors work with a wider pool of information. But it does not remove the need to understand what the data is actually saying. A signal may look interesting on a screen and still have little relevance to the investment case.

Turning data into investment insights

AI allows investors to work with far more information than they could reasonably process manually. It can screen stocks, compare data points, track changes across a portfolio and identify patterns across large datasets.

However, its usefulness depends on the quality of the data and how outputs are used. Poor-quality data, flawed assumptions or an overly mechanical approach can limit the value AI brings to the investment process.

Role of human judgement

Markets rarely behave exactly as historical data suggests. A management change, unexpected policy move or shift in investor sentiment can alter an investment thesis quickly.

AI can help identify what has changed and bring relevant information into focus, but deciding why it matters and what to do about it still requires judgement. Portfolio management involves weighing opportunities against risks, understanding context and making choices when the answer is not obvious.

AI’s impact on portfolio management

AI’s impact may not be about replacing investment professionals, but changing how they spend their time. If technology takes care of more data-heavy work, portfolio managers could focus more on research, debate and decisions that require experience and context.

Join the important conversation at the ET Alpha Wealth Summit 2.0 on October 8, 2026. Register Now.