In the evolving landscape of investment management, artificial intelligence (AI) has transitioned from somewhat of a futuristic concept to a more practical tool. Juniper Square‘s 2025 AI Survey, focusing on general partners (GPs) in private markets, reveals how firms are leveraging AI in order to enhance their overall business operations. The survey, conducted among GPs across venture capital, private equity, and real estate sectors, highlights adoption trends, use cases, benefits, challenges, and future expectations.
A standout research finding is the widespread adoption: nearly 80% of GPs are either piloting AI in select areas or deploying it across departments.
VC firms now lead the pack with the majority or 86% actively using or testing AI solutions, outpacing PE at 75% and RE fund managers at 68%.
This disparity aligns with VC’s heavy involvement in AI investments, which captured 71% of VC funding in Q1 2025.
According to the update from Juniper Square, most respondents (91%) rely on general-purpose large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini for research, drafting, and analysis.
Add-ons such as Zoom AI Companion are used by 51%, while 37% employ job-specific point solutions.
Key use cases center on efficiency-driven tasks. About 67% of organizations apply generative AI for human-language activities like content generation.
Popular applications include emails and communications (79%), document summarization (69%), and workflow automation (58%).
In PE, compliance ranks high, with AI enabling real-time surveillance of communications to flag risks and reduce false positives.
VC firms use AI for deal sourcing, patent reviews, and sentiment analysis, while RE focuses on reporting. A notable example: one PE firm automated investment memo creation, slashing senior staff time by up to 80%.
The benefits are tangible. An impressive 84% report time savings, with nearly half reclaiming 4–6 hours weekly.
Efficiency gains across teams are cited by 78%, and 44% each note new data insights and scaled operations without added headcount.
For VC, 45% see reduced operational costs.
Broader impacts include cost reductions and enhanced deal sourcing.
Challenges persist, including data privacy, security concerns, lack of internal expertise, and system integration.
Larger firms with IT resources advance faster, while skepticism and regulatory hurdles slow others. Agentic AI, which handles decisions autonomously, is emerging for tasks like LP email processing, potentially managing 60% of requests.
Looking ahead, optimism abounds: 85% of GPs now anticipate moderate to substantial AI value within two years. A complementary study notes only 2% expect significant gains in 2025, but 93% foresee them in three to five years.
As Brandon Rembe, Juniper Square‘s Chief Solutions Officer, emphasizes, AI’s data-handling prowess will widen competitive gaps, with early adopters leading in efficiency and scale.
In conclusion, the survey from Juniper Square now underscores AI’s shift from experimentation to operational cornerstone in private markets. By addressing challenges and building expertise, firms can harness AI for sustained alpha, transforming data silos into strategic assets.