Manulife Wealth & Asset Management Introduces AI Research Assistant to Accelerate Investment Insight
Manulife Wealth & Asset Management has rolled out an AI Research Assistant across its public markets investment research teams to sharpen analysis and speed up decision-making. The platform complements researcher expertise, shortens time spent on document review, and helps teams act on signal rather than sift through noise.
As President and CEO Paul Lorentz noted, AI is elevating how teams assess risk, spot opportunity, and construct portfolios. It augments human judgment without replacing it, while keeping accountability squarely with portfolio managers.
Why this matters for leaders
- Faster cycle times: The assistant reduces time spent mining lengthy documents by an estimated 70-80%, freeing analysts to focus on thesis development and strategy.
- Sharper focus: Routine synthesis is automated; high-impact calls remain human-led.
- Scalable consistency: Standardized analysis improves repeatability across teams and regions.
What the AI Research Assistant does
- Synthesizes internal and external sources-company financials, sell-side commentary, internal notes, earnings transcripts, and news-into concise, actionable views.
- Integrates into daily workflows with analysts and portfolio managers retaining decision rights.
- Built by embedded AI specialists working alongside research teams to protect depth of analysis and process rigor.
- Adoption: 65% of public markets team members were already using the platform as of August 31, 2025.
"By integrating this tool into our processes, we're accelerating insight generation and empowering our investment professionals to focus on high-impact, strategic investment decisions that drive value for our clients," said Colin Purdie, Global CIO, Public Markets, Manulife Investment Management.
Governance first: Responsible AI in practice
The platform was built under Manulife's Responsible AI Principles with three pillars: Responsible AI Development, Investment-led Solutions, and Integrated Risk and Compliance Oversight. The development followed a bottom-up, user-centered process so solutioning fits the actual research workflow.
Manulife has invested in AI for nearly a decade, with more than 75% of its global workforce engaged with GenAI tools, including the proprietary ChatMFC. The firm was recognized as the #1 life insurer in the inaugural Evident AI Index for Insurance, underscoring enterprise commitment to practical, value-driven adoption.
Operator's playbook: How to capture value with AI-assisted research
- Map the research journey from intake to decision; target the highest-friction steps first.
- Co-locate AI talent with investment teams to shorten feedback loops and avoid tool sprawl.
- Keep portfolio managers as the final decision-makers; define clear model limits and escalation paths.
- Instrument the workflow: track time-to-insight, hit rates, and impact on conviction and turnover.
- Align with compliance early; document datasets, prompts, and review checkpoints.
- Upskill teams on prompt discipline and source validation to maintain analytical depth.
Forward-looking considerations
Statements about expected benefits from AI-enabled tools are forward-looking and subject to risks and uncertainties, including market conditions, regulatory changes, execution risks, talent, and intellectual property considerations. Refer to Manulife's most recent filings with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators for additional details.
About Manulife Wealth & Asset Management
Manulife Wealth & Asset Management, part of Manulife Financial Corporation, provides investment, financial advice, and retirement plan services to 19 million clients worldwide. The firm brings deep expertise across public and private markets and a long heritage of risk management to help clients invest for a more secure financial future. Learn more at manulifeim.com.
Further resources
- Building an AI stack for finance? Explore practical tools and training: AI tools for finance
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