Korea Investment, JPMorgan ride AI demand with tech fund

Korea Investment & Securities and JPMorgan Asset Management organized a client seminar in Seoul on Tuesday, focusing on investment opportunities tied to the AI boom. The event, titled *Global Market Outlook*, featured Kerry Craig, JPMorgan’s global market strategist, and Christian Mariani, an investment specialist for US equities. Speakers noted that AI is transitioning from model development to practical business applications, creating demand for infrastructure like networking, computing, memory, and power systems. JPMorgan reported that AI-driven earnings growth is visible in US, Japanese, and Asian equity markets, advising investors to prioritize high-quality credit bonds alongside AI exposure. The seminar promoted the Korea Investment JPMorgan US Tech Fund, which aims to identify undervalued companies across the AI value chain—such as those specializing in AI hardware, processors, and infrastructure—rather than focusing solely on large-cap tech giants. Investor interest surged, with approximately 300 billion won ($198 million) flowing into the fund within the past week. Combined with the Korea Investment JPMorgan Global High Yield Fund, total assets under management for both products now exceed 560 billion won. Kim Sung-hwan, CEO of Korea Investment & Securities, emphasized the firm’s commitment to offering early-access investment opportunities, positioning itself as a long-term asset growth partner rather than a traditional financial product provider. The seminar underscored AI’s expanding role in global markets, with demand extending beyond software to hardware and infrastructure. Analysts suggested diversified portfolios centered on quality assets remain critical amid economic uncertainty. The event highlighted how AI’s real-world deployment is reshaping investment strategies, particularly in Asia and the US.