How digital workers are redefining asset management

Digital workers powered by agentic AI are helping to unlock operational excellence and strategic value at a critical inflection point.

In brief

• Digital workers represent the next phase of AI-driven operations — while agents define today, the pace of innovation signals a broader digital workforce on the horizon.
• Agentic AI enables scalable growth while preserving governance, compliance and human judgment.
• Firms that act now can unlock cost efficiency, resilience and long-term competitive advantage.

Asset management, a sector long defined by rigorous stewardship and disciplined operations, stands at an inflection point. Fee compression and margin pressure are reshaping industry economics. Firms continue to grapple with operational complexity and relentless cost competitiveness, while also accelerating new product launches and providing greater transparency to investors in a complex market environment.

Combined with the exponential advance of technology, most notably in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), data engineering and automation, these dynamics herald in a new era in which “digital workers” can seamlessly substitute much of the repetitive, rule-based administrative work that has historically demanded human resources at scale. For CEOs and board directors, this is not merely a technological evolution, but a strategic imperative: the ability to harness a digital workforce to deliver greater value at a fraction of legacy costs is no longer a theoretical advantage — it is a necessary condition for survival and leadership.

AI and digital workers will disrupt fund accounting, cutting basis point and costs amid rising complexity

What is a digital worker?

How can digital workers be activated?

As organizations continue to embrace automation, the role of digital workers is evolving beyond simple task execution. Unlike traditional automation or manual processes, digital workers combine intelligent triage, contextual decision-making and seamless integration across systems to deliver faster, more consistent outcomes. Acting as the first line of support, they proactively identify issues, initiate remediation steps and coordinate with human teams when necessary.

The scenarios shown in the table below represent only a few illustrative examples of how digital workers can be deployed across key stages, such as data ingestion, validation checks, review and sign-off, and oversight. In practice, their capabilities extend far beyond these use cases, enabling organizations to reduce operational risk, accelerate turnaround times and improve the client experience through advanced features like root cause analysis, narrative generation and cross-system coordination.

What are the deployment considerations?

Despite the promise of AI, deployment challenges can often become a roadblock on the path from pilot to production and value creation. In many cases, gaps in the planning and design phase create delays in project rollout or poor results in production. Data quality and connectivity issues, lack of traceability or weak controls can lead to flawed decisions and regulatory exposure, ultimately eroding trust in the AI platform and increasing risk.

As firms begin deploying digital workers, it’s essential to address several critical considerations to ensure successful integration and long-term value. The following table outlines key considerations related to operating models, governance and architectural design that organizations should evaluate during their transformation journey.

Conclusion: the case for change

The case for change in asset management is no longer theoretical. The inflection point is here, and the decisions made today will shape how businesses operate in 2030. As digital workers and agentic AI become integral to core processes, leaders must envision a future where operational excellence, cost efficiency and compliance are not aspirational goals but baseline expectations. The risks of inaction are significant: Falling behind on technology adoption could mean higher costs, regulatory exposure and diminished client trust. Conversely, the opportunities are profound. Firms that embrace digital workforce transformation can unlock new levels of agility, scalability and strategic differentiation.

As companies chart their course, it’s essential to reassess organizational risk tolerance: Which functions demand tight internal control, and where can trusted service providers deliver efficiency and innovation? Outsourcing may offer compelling benefits, but only if governance, data security and oversight are robust. The firms that thrive will be those that act decisively, balance risk with opportunity and build adaptive operating models ready for the next decade. The time to reimagine business is now.