Aviva Investors’ annual asset manager survey found 56 per cent had seen an increase in client interest in sustainability-focused investments, compared with 16 per cent who had seen a decrease in appetite.

The survey spoke to 60 asset managers from around the world, representing £31.9tr.

While 27 per cent of the managers said they already use generative AI in their sustainability process, a further 29 per cent said it is something they will be looking to introduce in the next year.

Cameron Falconer, head of investment oversight and manager research, said: “This year’s research highlights that sustainability remains a central theme within the investment industry, and that client interest in the topic remains strong globally.

“A clear finding from this edition of our multi-manager survey is that managers are increasingly seeking to tailor their solutions to match evolving client demands, and suggests we are seeing a shift towards a more refined sustainability product suite within the industry.

“It will be interesting to see how this development takes place, and how managers can utilise technological advancements to further improve their sustainability solutions.”

The survey also looked at they types of investment products launched last year, compared with 2021.

The two categories to see the most growth were climate change solutions at 18 per cent and Paris agreement solutions at 11 per cent.

Looking at asset management firms’ stance towards net zero, the survey revealed 74 per cent of managers had signed-up to the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative, with a further 6 per cent expected to join within the next two years.

However, there was a split in opinion over the term ESG, with 56 per cent saying the it is too broad and needs further refinement.

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