Dublin, April 7th 2022: The ADAPT SFI Research Centre for AI-Driven Digital Content Technology is collaborating with Fidelity Investments on research into a more conversational approach to aid portfolio managers and ‘quants’ in the company. The multi-year project will look to develop a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) that can provide staff with real-time updates on portfolio adjustments, whilst enabling them to perform a range of their daily operations more efficiently and more effectively. The research will be conducted by ADAPT’s conversational technology research group which includes academic research leaders and post-doctoral researchers in dialog systems, (multimodal) human-computer interaction, conversational AI and personalisation.

This joint work has already helped to establish key functional requirements and a technology roadmap for Conversational AI for Fidelity. The project is continuing to build on that roadmap by addressing three key challenges: a short term proof of concept system developed using Fidelity’s technology assets to provide speech skills; in the medium term a more comprehensive demonstrator will be based on business use cases and scenarios, enabling a thorough evaluation of the technology and the understanding of the opportunities for this technology; finally, to respond to long term needs, ADAPT will assist with the architectural development to support more sustainable and extensive use of Conversational AI technology within the business unit.

Fintan O’ Malley, Director of Research, Development and Innovation at Fidelity Investments said: “We are delighted to build on our long-standing collaboration with the ADAPT Centre to put breakthrough Conversational AI solutions in place for our Asset Management business. It is through tapping into ADAPT’s expertise in Conversational AI and related themes including conversational assistants and intent recognition that we can push the boundaries of the technology options available for the automation of our Equity Investment Process.”

Prof Vinny Wade, Director of the ADAPT SFI Research Centre said: “Our collaborations with Fidelity’s Asset Management Division offer an ideal opportunity for our data and technology experts to push the frontiers of knowledge for Fidelity and bring new solutions to concrete Fintech challenges.”

Dr Robert Ross, Principal Investigator at the ADAPT SFI Research Centre at TU Dublin said: “The conversational technology group here in ADAPT is delighted to move into our 2nd Phase project with the team in Fidelity. This project is giving us a chance to put next generation conversational technology to work in a mission critical setting, and with a collaborative team that sees the long term value in partnerships.”