By Kunal Nandwani
The stock exchange has typically posed a certain level of difficulty, but this challenge is being changed by the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI). AI tools help streamline decision-making, thus improving trend predictions. According to Mercer, 90 per cent of the world’s asset managers are embracing AI – a massive number.
Evolution of Intelligence and AI
Understanding AI's impact on the financial market requires examining its origins. Intelligence began as simple living organisms that eventually morphed into the highly complex neural architecture of a human brain, this having birthed the invention of artificial neural networks.
People like Jeffrey Hinton and others who were the true innovators of AI, however, began to study the subject matter as early as the 1960s. Initially slow, progress accelerated with modern technology and vast Internet data.
Today, AI has a variable number of functions in the financial sector – it streamlines processes, facilitates decision-making, and improves efficiency and accuracy.
AI’s Role in Financial Market
The financial markets are perhaps the most impacted by the development of AI. It has now become possible for traders to navigate financial markets and analyse a huge amount of data in very short periods. Decisions that used to be based on an individual’s gut instinct are now automated insights, making the predictions more accurate, devoid of manual errors, and delivered in real time.
AI is also enhancing risk management processes in the financial markets by helping with backtesting using historical data. This predictive capability helps traders foresee risks better, especially in markets that are prone to volatility and where unexpected price shifts can lead to substantial losses.
For instance, an AI system can estimate how bad a slump might be, and assess the impact of external factors, like a changing political regime or economic disruption, making it easier for companies to protect their assets.
AI also assists in anti-money laundering practices: it can identify suspicious criminal activity by pointing out anomalies in large amounts of data, which is used to enhance compliance and security before criminal attempts become operational.
Furthermore, AI’s ability to monitor social media trends provides valuable market intelligence. Since market sentiment can be influenced by online discussions, AI’s social media monitoring capabilities enhance decision-making capabilities.
Automation and AI-Driven Trading Strategies
The financial industry is evolving greatly with the use of AI especially in automating various trading strategies. Although algo trading has been in existence for a long, AI brings a new level of sophistication, helping algorithms to adapt in real-time to market changes, thus introducing more precision to trading.
Also, AI has introduced a level of customisation that earlier only big organisations enjoyed. Now, due to AI-driven real-time strategies tailored to their preferences and risk tolerance, even smaller traders are benefitting.
Furthermore, AI-powered trading strategies are reducing emotional and impulsive trading, which leads to errors. Such algorithms can also be adapted to work in both normal and volatile markets, leading to more efficiency in the strategies' performance.
Democratising Trading
Thanks to AI, powerful trading tools that were only accessible to a few professionals are now available to many more. Earlier barriers due to high costs and expertise requirements for sophisticated strategies prevented smaller traders from accessing advanced trading tools. It is more democratised now.
Today, for a very minimal subscription, a trader can make use of high-level analyses that were earlier available at a high cost to only fund managers.
In addition, AI technology has made trading even easier because the need for coding skills is no longer there. In most user-friendly platforms, all one has to do is input the logic and choose the strategy based on market conditions, thus making complex trading very simple.
Future of AI in the Financial Market
With the rapid development of AI technologies, its role in financial markets is expected to expand significantly. This will include task automation, better market insights, and improved decision-making processes.
Markets will witness AI power and the human intellect working in tandem. There will, however, need to be openness towards new technologies. Also, the introduction of AI into the economic sphere will need regulatory frameworks to evolve so that accountability and fairness are maintained.
AI-powered platforms are transforming how traders and investors engage with the financial markets. From offering automated insights to streamlining strategies, AI enhances efficiency and data-driven decision-making. As these technologies advance, AI will only help traders navigate the markets better.
(The author is the Co-founder and CEO of uTrade Solutions)
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