As part of a collaboration between Upscale and WAM CIO , Dominic Gamble (CEO & Co-Founder, Upscale) and Arisa Singhsathitsukh (Content Manager, Wamplify) sit down with Thilan Wickramasinghe, Head of Research at Maybank Investment Banking Group, to explore the evolving role of investment content in the age of AI.
The real friction: insight is not a problem. distribution is. While there is no shortage of valuable insight in the market, attention is becoming increasingly fragmented. As Thilan Wickramasinghe explains, the core challenge is not the quality of ideas but how they are delivered:
With social media, and the way consumers are consuming information, to try to cut through that noise is always a challenge.
Thilan Wickramasinghe
Head of Research at Maybank Investment Banking Group
There is more insight than ever and less impact. That single observation captures the core challenge facing CIOs today
Information has been democratised.
Distribution has been flattened.
Attention has been fragmented.
And while long-form reports still serve a purpose:
“There is still a role for PDFs and long-form reports, they demonstrate thought process and depth. But the report itself isn’t the most important thing. What matters is how that thinking is delivered. You need to meet the client where they want to meet you, not how you want them to engage. That’s why we’re compressing our messaging and moving toward shorter, more accessible formats. That transition, however, comes with friction.”notes Thilan Wickramasinghe.
What actually cuts through the noise?
As Thilan Wickramasinghe explains, today’s investors are more informed than ever, but what’s lacking is trusted sources and clear action. “Investors have more options and more information, but they’re asking: how do I compile this, what do I do with it, and what action should I take for my portfolio?”
Content, therefore, must differentiate, providing clear, credible ideas that build trust and guide decision-making.Within organisations, this is increasingly recognised as a strategic priority. As Thilan notes, content is a key differentiator at Maybank Securities, particularly in a competitive landscape where trust and engagement matter as much as capability. In terms of format, the direction is clear:AI-powered audience segmentation helps marketers identify high-value opportunities and refine their approach based on real-time data.
Predictive models can determine which message will resonate most, increasing engagement and conversion rates. The result is a marketing strategy that feels personal to every client, even within large-scale campaigns.
Short form videos, visual and graphical content and formats that get to the point quickly are the most effective. Well-designed content that delivers insight efficiently is what cuts through the noise.”
Thilan Wickramasinghe
Head of Research at Maybank Investment Banking Group
Today’s investor is not asking for more data. They are asking:
What matters?
What’s different?
What should I do?
Can I trust the source without having to audit it?
Automation further accelerates this process. Reporting, performance tracking, and even content testing can all be handled more efficiently, freeing teams to focus on strategy and creative execution rather than manual data work.
AI: The accelerator and the risk..
So where does AI add value? As Thilan explains, AI has the potential to be a powerful productivity and creativity layer, particularly as teams become leaner across the banking industry. “AI is becoming an essential companion and tool for us to deliver our ideas, enabling greater efficiency and faster engagement with our audience.”
However, its role is still complementary. As Thilan says, “The credibility still comes from the human, AI can accelerate the process, but it doesn’t take me all the way there."
While AI is effective for summarisation and scaling content, it often misses what truly matters: Differentiation. Generic outputs fail to capture the nuance, perspective, and voice that distinguish one CIO’s insight from another. AI’s impact is clear in improving efficiency, productivity and faster, lower-cost engagement, but it has limits, and generic summaries often fail to capture what is truly differentiated.
The future of investment content: faster, sharper, but still human?
What emerges is not a replacement but a rebalancing, where AI scales production, increases speed and enhances distribution, while human insight defines conviction, shapes narrative and builds trust. AI can accelerate ideas, but human expertise gives them credibility, and the future requires both. The firms that will win are those that combine credible thinking with compelling formats, deliver clear and actionable insights early, and use AI to enhance rather than dilute differentiation. Because in a world of infinite information, the real edge of investment content is simple: being the signal, not the noise.
To learn how firms are evolving their content strategies and delivery, visit Upscale, helping Wealth and Asset Management firms translate complex investment ideas into clear, engaging and scalable content through AI-powered solutions. As Upscale produces for clients, short-form videos, visual and graphical content, and formats that get to the point quickly are among the most effective, alongside formats like PDF carousels and is showcased on our LinkedIn platform.
Contact us to see how your firm can turn investment insight into content that drives real client engagement, clearer decision-making, and scalable impact.
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