Unbundling Uncovered NY 2026: The Impact of Agentic AI on Capital Markets
Brijesh Malkan breaks down the shifting dynamics of capital markets at Unbundling Uncovered NYC 2026.
Insights
The fundamental relationship between the buy-side and sell-side remains rooted in trust, the exchange of ideas, and continuous innovation. However, the technology enabling this dynamic is undergoing a profound transformation.
At Unbundling Uncovered USA 2026, Singletrack CEO Brijesh Malkan discussed how capital markets firms can navigate these changes to deliver high-value advisory services. From moving past vanity metrics to preparing for semi-autonomous AI, here are the key takeaways from the discussion.
Redefining the ROI of Investment Research
Historically, research analysts have relied on baseline metrics to assess the value of their services, looking at report engagement, the number of client meetings, or the volume of bespoke work requests. While useful, these data points often live in silos.
By centralising data, sell-side firms can finally track exactly which specific research reports drive asset managers to request further high-value services, such as corporate access events or dedicated analyst time, ultimately helping the buy-side make better investment decisions.
The Shift from Tool to Agentic AI
AI is dominating industry conversations, but it requires a shift in perspective. Every previous technology adopted by the capital markets industry has functioned as a tool. AI, however, introduces “agentic” capabilities, meaning the technology can make its own decisions and act semi-autonomously.
The immediate challenge for research providers is not just adopting this technology, but successfully combining agentic AI with human insight. Crucially, this must be done while navigating strict regulatory and compliance requirements that demand deterministic, rather than probabilistic, outcomes.
The Incentive to Collaborate
Despite the rapid pace of technological change, the ultimate goal remains the same: supporting the buy-side in making great investment decisions. Technology serves as an enabler, providing the means to target content effectively and glean deep insights into how information is consumed. This data-driven framework incentivises both parties to collaborate, ensuring the right insights reach the right people at the right time.
As the industry grapples with the impact of AI on the investment value chain, there is currently an unprecedented level of collaboration across vendors, corporates, and both sides of the market to answer these pivotal questions.
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Published: 02/09/2026