Apex Group Unveils New Research on AI Adoption Across Private Credit

WHY THIS MATTERS

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming embedded across private credit operations, reflecting the growing need for efficiency, scalability and deeper analytical capabilities in an asset class that has expanded significantly in recent years. According to Apex Group’s research, a large majority of private credit firms now report using AI in core functions such as investment decision-making and risk management. As private credit continues to attract institutional and potentially retail investors, technology is increasingly viewed as essential for handling larger deal volumes, complex data analysis and evolving regulatory expectations.

Apex Group Ltd. (“Apex Group”), a global financial services provider with over $3.5 trillion in assets serviced, has published AI-powered private credit, a new research report examining how artificial intelligence is being adopted across private credit operations globally, and where the industry’s most significant opportunities and challenges lie.

With deep expertise across more than 50 jurisdictions, Apex Group delivers fund administration, middle-office, and technology solutions to asset managers, financial institutions, and corporates worldwide.

Based on responses from 105 senior leaders in the industry, the majority of whom are C-suite executives, the report draws on insights from firms across the Americas, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, representing institutional-scale platforms with established private credit operations. The findings reveal that 85% of respondents say AI is now fully embedded within their private credit activities, with investment decision-making (76%) and risk management (67%) identified as the areas delivering the greatest value. The research also highlights that 94% of respondents consider AI critically or very important to making private credit accessible to non-institutional investors.

Helen Wang, Chief AI and Data Sciencce Officer, Apex Group, said:

“Governance cannot be treated as an overlay once AI becomes part of core operating workflows. It has to be designed in from the outset, so that controls scale alongside capability. This approach supports regulatory readiness and investor confidence without slowing decision-making, and it becomes especially important for firms operating across jurisdictions or serving a broader investor base.”

Despite strong adoption, the report identifies a gap between perceived embedding and achieved transformation. While many firms have deployed AI tools, fewer have redesigned the underlying processes, data flows, and governance structures required to integrate those tools into day-to-day decision-making. Over 60% of respondents expect technology investment in operations to increase by 20% to 50% over the next three years, with nearly half expecting to direct between 50% and 75% of technology budgets towards AI capabilities.

Eddie Kelly, Global Head of Product – Private Debt, Apex Group, said:

“AI is now part of how private credit firms operate, but embedding technology and embedding operating discipline are not the same thing. The firms that close that gap will be best positioned to scale with confidence.”

Priority investment areas over the next three years include risk monitoring and analytics (27%), retail distribution platforms (20%), valuation and pricing systems (17%), and data infrastructure and integration (14%). The research also underscores the growing importance of governance, with over 60% of respondents reporting formal policies in place to govern the ethical use of AI in credit decision-making.

The report further highlights the role of the middle office as a critical area of operational transformation. 63% of respondents are currently implementing AI or automation within middle-office operations, with data extraction, financial statement processing, and credit agreement analysis emerging as the most common applications. Improved data accuracy (37%) and reduced processing time (30%) were cited as the most significant benefits achieved.

AI-powered private credit is available now and is aimed at private credit managers, chief operating officers, chief technology and data officers, and investors seeking to understand how AI is shaping the operational future of the asset class.

FF NEWS TAKE
AI is quickly becoming a foundational capability in private credit, but the industry is still in the early stages of operational transformation.

Firms that move beyond experimentation and redesign their processes, data architecture and governance frameworks around AI will likely gain a competitive advantage. As private credit scales and attracts a broader investor base, technology-driven efficiency and transparency will play an increasingly important role in shaping the next phase of the asset class’s growth.