Insights

ESMA has issued guidance for investment firms using AI, emphasising client best interests, to ensure compliance with MiFID II and safeguard investors. Below is a summary of that guidance.

The advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers transformative opportunities in retail investment services, enhancing efficiency, innovation, and decision-making. However, AI also presents risks such as algorithmic biases, data quality issues, and transparency challenges. Despite the initial phase of AI diffusion, its impact on firms’ behaviours and retail investor protection is expected to be significant. Management bodies retain responsibility for decisions, whether made by humans or AI.

The attractiveness of diversified, liquid, continuously priced, low-cost instruments to investors has never been greater. The growth in ETF AUM globally from around $1 trillion in 2008 to around $14 trillion at the end of 2023 shows the size of the inroad this asset class has made in a relatively short period. As Investment Managers wrestle with cost pressures across the industry, they are increasingly looking at adding ETFs as a complementary offering.

Mastering fund and product data is not just about operational efficiency; it’s fast becoming a regulatory imperative. It is becoming increasingly apparent that a mature data master is critical to meet everchanging regulatory requirements.