Pictet Asset Management, which specialises in thematic investing, has announced the launch of Pictet-Robotics.
The company claims that it is one of the first funds of its kind to invest in robotics and artificial intelligence technologies.

A Luxembourg Sicav, the fund aims to capitalise on the growth of an industry that is forecast to expand as much as four times faster than the global economy over the next decade, according to Pictet.

Advances in IT, such as cloud computing and the emergence of powerful new microprocessors, are revolutionising robotics and automation technologies, which are expanding beyond the factory floor into our everyday lives. Pictet, which also has funds investing in areas such as water and agriculture, believes the robotic sector offers significant opportunity.

Picket says that modern robotic devices are now equipped with a remarkable capacity to sense, gather, process and act on information, endowing them with dexterity, versatility and cognition. Robots can detect changes in facial expressions and tones of voice are being used in services and security industries. In the health care industry, sophisticated robots already assist surgeons in complex procedures, while in transport, smart sensor technology is being deployed in driverless cars.

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Karen Kharmandarian, senior investment manager, Thematic Equities said, “Robots have long been used in factories to automate dangerous, dirty or dull tasks. But the pace of invention is accelerating as robots are becoming indispensable to our professional and personal lives. Companies active in robotics seem bound to enjoy strong growth from this new wave of innovation.”

The Robotics fund is the most recent addition to Pictet Asset Management’s range of thematic strategies which already includes, among others, specialist funds in digital communication, security, health and water. Thematic funds allow investors to capitalise on long-term socio-economic trends shaping our world.

The official launch date of Pictet-Robotics is 8 October 2015 and the initial subscription period for the fund is 2-7 October.

The fund is currently registered in: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK. It will be available in other countries soon.