HCLTech released a unique synthetic research report based on AI, titled "Hidden In Pl ( AI )n Sight". The report is based on a survey of 1,066 representative AI character models, which are modeled according to the characteristics of senior decision-makers in the wealth management industry across 17 global markets.

The company stated that the research found that 84% of global wealth management firms believe it is necessary to fundamentally redesign their business models in order to fully unleash the potential of AI. This indicates that the focus of AI transformation is not just about introducing technology, but also about reimagining how businesses operate, compete, and grow. The research also shows that although 98% of management teams in the industry are actively pursuing the AI agenda, only slightly over 7% of the teams are actively building the capabilities for agent-based AI.

This study identified three key blind spots that hinder wealth management companies from transforming their enthusiasm for AI into measurable business results.

• "Ambition Blind Spot": Although companies recognize the necessity of transformation, they still primarily use AI funds for improving efficiency.
• "Execution Blind Spot": Heavy investment in technology has not been accompanied by investment in proprietary customer data and insights, which are the true sources of competitive advantage.
• "Strategic Blind Spot": Although companies are advancing the implementation of AI, they have not measured its impact on growth, revenue, and customers.

"There's no issue with investment in this industry, it's a matter of decision-making," said Srinivasan Seshadri, Chief Growth Officer and Head of Global Financial Services at HCLTech. "Almost every wealth management company is spending money on AI. But far fewer companies can clearly articulate which projects they are funding, to what extent AI has actually changed their business models, or whether they are measuring the truly important outcomes: new customer value, growth, and revenue models. Our research finds that 84% of executives want to undergo fundamental reshaping, yet only 12% are measuring the additional revenue that such reshaping should bring. This is precisely the blind spot that winners need to address first."

HCLTech indicates that this research combines the coverage, speed, and analytical capabilities of AI with profound human expertise. Throughout the process, industry practitioners, researchers, and experts actively participated, challenging assumptions, enriching the background, and rigorously verifying the results to ensure that the research is both innovative and grounded in real industry experience.

"This research represents a new paradigm of insight generation – AI brings us scale and speed, while human expertise ensures that each insight is credible and reliable," said Jill Kouri, Global Chief Marketing Officer of HCLTech. "It demonstrates what can be achieved when AI works in conjunction with human expertise, and this is precisely the capability we hope to further expand within our organization."

HCLTech indicates that companies capable of building a sustainable competitive advantage will be those that combine AI with their most unique assets: decades of proprietary customer knowledge. Executives rated first-party and behavioral data as more valuable differentiators than technological infrastructure, cloud platforms, or AI partnerships; meanwhile, nearly 80% believe that future industry leaders will be those best at synergizing AI, human expertise, and ecosystem partners. The Asia Pacific region (89%) and North America (84%) showed the highest confidence, while Europe lagged behind at 38.3%, demonstrating significant differences in preparedness and speed of transformation across different markets.

Editor's Note: Promoting a new research model with AI

This report was completed in collaboration by HCLTech and Evidenza and is considered one of the largest synthetic research applications in the wealth management industry to date.

Its methodology also reflects the approach suggested by HCLTech to clients: while implementing AI on a large scale, human judgment is retained at critical moments. AI is not intended to replace traditional professional knowledge, but rather to expand and enhance it; at the same time, experts have been involved in the design of character models, research and development, and result verification.

HCLTech indicates that this achievement is not only a new approach to understanding complex industries but also a practical case of responsible use of AI. By combining analysis driven by AI with human expertise, this research demonstrates how companies can expand their analytical capabilities while maintaining trust, accuracy, and transparency.

The final conclusion of the report is that companies capable of establishing a sustainable competitive advantage are not necessarily those that use AI the most, but rather those that can combine AI with their most unique strengths: proprietary customer knowledge, human professional capabilities, and strong ecosystem partnerships.

For the complete report, please refer to: https :// www.hcltech.com / financial-services / capital-market.

About HCLTech

HCLTech is a global technology company with over 223,000 employees in 60 countries. Lending on its extensive range of technical services and product portfolio, it provides industry-leading capabilities in areas such as AI, digitalization, engineering, cloud, and software. The company collaborates with clients from various major industries to offer industry-specific solutions for finance, manufacturing, life sciences and healthcare, technology and services, semiconductors, telecommunications, media, retail and consumer goods, as well as transportation and public services. The company's consolidated revenue for the 12 months ending June 2026 totaled 14.8 billion US dollars. For more information, please visit hcltech.com.

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Meredith Bucaro, Americas – [ email protected ]