What will you learn?
- Understand the core AI technologies relevant to institutional investing, including machine learning, natural language processing and generative AI, and distinguish realistic applications from hype.
- Evaluate how AI can support and challenge investment decision-making, from asset allocation to security selection, while recognising its limitations and risks.
- Identify what is required to build an AI-ready investment organisation, including governance, talent development and effective human-AI collaboration.
- Recognise the ethical and regulatory challenges AI presents for fiduciary investors and learn how to address them responsibly.
- Explore emerging developments such as alternative data, large language models and automation, and assess their implications for the future of investment organisations.
Participants leave with a practical understanding of how AI creates value in institutional investing, from data analysis and portfolio construction to risk management and client communication. They also gain the confidence to distinguish genuine opportunities from inflated expectations.
Beyond the immediate content, the masterclass strengthens participants' standing as informed, forward-looking voices on AI within their own organization, and connects them with a peer network of fellow investment professionals navigating the same transformation.
The programme:
The masterclass runs over two consecutive days at the VU Amsterdam campus and combines lectures, interactive discussion, case-study workshops and live demonstrations of AI use cases in institutional investing.
Day one covers the fundamentals of AI in investing and generative AI/language models and a practical workshop to enhance personal productivity with AI.
Day two turns to AI-driven investment decision-making and organizational implementation. Ethical and governance questions, and a look at emerging frontiers such as alternative data and automation, run throughout. All sessions are in English, and participants receive pre-reading and post-session materials.
Topics:
- Fundamentals of AI in Investing: core concepts, data types, myths and realities.
- AI-Driven Investment Decision-Making: machine learning in asset allocation and security selection.
- Organizational Transformation: building an AI-ready investment organization.
- Ethics & Governance: bias, transparency, fiduciary and regulatory questions.
- AI Frontiers: alternative data, generative AI and automation.
Literature:
Session-specific pre-reading materials are provided by VU faculty ahead of each day; no separate textbook is required.
Qualification / certification:
Session-specific pre-reading materials are provided by VU faculty ahead of each day; no separate textbook is required.