Should Your Buy-Side Firm Hire a Head of AI?
Summary
AI offers buy-side investment firms unprecedented opportunities — from deeper insights to faster decision-making. But unlocking its full potential requires more than experimentation. Leaders who pair ambition with focus and structure can scale AI innovation confidently, avoid hidden pitfalls, and turn emerging technology into sustained competitive advantage.
James DeAlto
As an Account Manager at Arcesium, James partners with leading firms across the investment management industry to optimize their data and operational strategies and generate long-term value. Leveraging his buy-side experience and deep understanding of the client perspective, he helps investment managers tackle today’s complex and rapidly evolving landscape with precision and confidence.
Sources:
[i] Gartner, May 12, 2025. https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-05-12-gartner-survey-finds-seventy-percent-of-cdaos-are-responsible-for-artificial-intelligence-strategy-and-operating-model
[ii] BCG, January 15, 2026. https://www.bcg.com/press/15january2026-as-ai-investments-surge-ceos-take-lead
[iii] Dartmouth, 1956. https://home.dartmouth.edu/about/artificial-intelligence-ai-coined-dartmouth
[iv] CFA Institute, June 10, 2025. https://rpc.cfainstitute.org/research/reports/2025/ai-washing
[v] Morgan Stanley, 2026. https://www.morganstanley.com/about-us/technology/artificial-intelligence-firmwide-team
[vi] WTW, October 1, 2025. https://www.wtwco.com/en-us/insights/2025/10/lessons-in-implementing-board-level-ai-governance
[vii] McKinsey, July 16, 2025. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/financial-services/our-insights/how-ai-could-reshape-the-economics-of-the-asset-management-industry
