Barclays claims that AI will not replace credit hedge fund traders, with only 7% of investors expecting significant layoffs.

A survey by Barclays Bank shows that hedge funds and asset management companies are increasingly using AI when investing in the global credit market, but for now at least, this technology has not replaced human traders. The survey found that AI has moved beyond the experimental and sporadic stages and is gradually becoming more widely used among various types of investors. However, its main use still focuses on research, securities screening, and analysis, playing a supportive role rather than replacing human judgment. Strategists Zornitsa Todorova and Andrea Diaz Lafuente wrote in a report on Thursday that overall, AI is expected to reshape roles and workflows, rather than significantly reduce manpower in the short term. They noted that the mainstream view is that with employee numbers remaining basically stable, productivity will increase. In a survey last month, Barclays Bank interviewed 410 buy-side institutional investors in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as Asia, and only 7% of respondents expected significant layoffs.