Carolyn Taylor was included in Barron’s 2025 Top 1200 Advisor Rankings by State list. The full list can be viewed on Barron’s website. View the list here.
The criteria for ranking reflects assets under management as of 09/30/2024, revenue that the advisors generate for their Firms, regulatory record, quality of the advisor’s practices, and philanthropic work. Investment performance is not an explicit criterion because the advisors’ clients pursue a wide range of goals. In many instances, the primary goal is asset preservation. The scoring system assigns a top score of 100 and rates the rest by comparing them with the top-ranked advisor.
Carolyn Taylor was nominated for inclusion in the list. Survey data was submitted by over 7,000 advisors, but only 1,200 were published in the ranking. Barron’s uses a proprietary method to rank advisors based on the criteria above. Weatherly provides this data to Barron’s in the form of a survey response. Initial ranking is done by Barron’s; publicly available data is verified by Barron’s against SEC and FINRA reports. Barron’s then conducts the next level of ranking. Data that is not independently verified by Barron’s is then sent back to the Firm for verification. Barron’s then incorporates any required changes into the ranking and finalizes the list for editorial use and publishing. The Top 1,200 are drawn from all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. This ranking is the largest and most comprehensive of the annual Barron’s advisor listings. It includes a cross section of private-wealth advisors, from independents who own and operate their own practices to advisors from the large Wall Street firms. This special report lists the top advisors in each state, with the number of ranking spots determined by each state’s population and wealth. Carolyn Taylor ranked 68th in the state of California.
No payment was required for nomination or inclusion in the ranking. Wealth Managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list. Weatherly will pay Barron’s for a 2025 annual membership to Barron’s Advisor Marketing Program. Part of this online profile program allows for use of promotional materials associated with various Barron’s rankings, including the Top 1200.
No organizational memberships were required of the Firm or individuals. Ranking on this list is not representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of Weatherly’s future performance. Weatherly is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the ranking or the appropriateness of advertising inclusion in this list.
About Weatherly Asset Management, L.P.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is a Registered Investment Advisor, located in Del Mar, California, dedicated to providing high quality, holistic and innovative wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals, small businesses and institutional clients since inception of the Firm in 1994.
Our comprehensive approach to all aspects of a client’s financial life, the extensive experience of our principals, and the accessibility of experts, set us apart from other firms.
Our primary business focus is money management, with each account individually managed to maximize wealth preservation and growth over time. We also provide advice related to retirement planning, tax planning, philanthropic planning, financial planning and college planning, as well as estate planning and wealth transfer guidance. Our goal is to provide clients with as much information as necessary to effectively manage portfolios and help achieve their financial goals.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisory division of Weatherly Asset Management, Inc. As an independent partnership, the Firm is wholly owned and operated by the partnership.
For information on our wealth management team, and for a full list of services we provide, please visit: http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/team/
For information on our ADV filings and Compliance, please visit:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/106935
http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/adv/
If you would like to learn more, please contact:
Carolyn P. Taylor
858-259-4507
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. was listed as a winner for the 2025 InvestmentNews Best Places to Work award. InvestmentNews recognized standout employers in the financial advice industry in the United States. The list was segmented by employer size categories: 1) Less than 99 Employees; 2) 100-499 Employees. In total, there were 45 winners. Not all nominees were named winners. To view the full list, click here.
To qualify as one of InvestmentNews’ Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors, an advice firm must be a registered investment adviser (RIA), affiliated with (but not an employee of) an independent broker dealer (IBD), or a hybrid/dually-registered firm affiliated with an IBD and doing business through an RIA, be based in the US, have at least 15 employees, and have been in business for one year. To find and recognize the Best Places to Work, InvestmentNews invited organizations to participate by filling out an employer form, which asked companies to explain their various offerings and practices. Next, employees from nominated companies were asked to fill out an anonymous form evaluating their workplace on a number of metrics, including benefits, compensation, culture, employee development, and commitment to diversity and inclusion. To be considered, each organization had to reach a minimum number of employee responses based on its overall size. Organizations that achieved an 80 percent or greater average satisfaction rating from employees were named Best Places to Work of 2025.
Weatherly was not required to make payments or purchases to nominate, be nominated, be considered, or included on the list related to the award. No organizational memberships were required of the Firm or individuals. At the time of this disclosure, Weatherly has not made any payments related to the ranking or its associated marketing opportunities. The advertisement of nomination for the award is not representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of Weatherly’s future performance. Weatherly is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the award, nominations for the award, or the appropriateness of related advertising.
About Weatherly Asset Management, L.P.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is a Registered Investment Advisor, located in Del Mar, California, dedicated to providing high quality, holistic and innovative wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals, small businesses and institutional clients since inception of the Firm in 1994.
Our comprehensive approach to all aspects of a client’s financial life, the extensive experience of our principals, and the accessibility of experts, set us apart from other firms.
Our primary business focus is money management, with each account individually managed to maximize wealth preservation and growth over time. We also provide advice related to retirement planning, tax planning, philanthropic planning, financial planning and college planning, as well as estate planning and wealth transfer guidance. Our goal is to provide clients with as much information as necessary to effectively manage portfolios and help achieve their financial goals.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisory division of Weatherly Asset Management, Inc. As an independent partnership, the Firm is wholly owned and operated by the partnership.
For information on our wealth management team, and for a full list of services we provide, please visit: http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/team/
For information on our ADV filings and Compliance, please visit:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/106935
http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/adv/
If you would like to learn more, please contact:
Carolyn P. Taylor
858-259-4507
Carolyn Taylor has been included in the InvestmentNews Top Advisors 2025 special report. The full IN Top Advisors 2025 report was published in the February issue of InvestmentNews online on February 10th 2025. Carolyn was 25th out of 100 advisors in the ranking, The full list is available here: https://www.investmentnews.com/best-in-wealth/the-top-financial-advisors-in-the-usa/259151.
About Top Advisors
To compile the inaugural Top Advisors list, Investment News first solicited nominations from advisors, industry professionals, and clients. Only advisors nominated were eligible for the list. All information on nominees had to be verified by their compliance team before it could be accepted.
The final list was determined based on each advisor’s weighted ranking in overall AUM, AUM growth, and client growth (between August 2023 and August 2024). The InvestmentNews team assigned a ranking to each advisor in each category and then calculated a combined score to determine the advisor’s final placement on the 2025 Top Advisors list. The data used is as of 8/31/2024.
Carolyn received an email invitation to participate in the program. Weatherly’s compliance and marketing team members provided data on behalf of Carolyn in the form of an online survey.
No fees were required to respond to the survey or to be published in the list.
Inclusion in this list and program is not representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of Weatherly’s future performance. Weatherly is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the program or the appropriateness of advertising this award.
About Weatherly Asset Management, L.P.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is a Registered Investment Advisor, located in Del Mar, California, dedicated to providing high quality, holistic and innovative wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals, small businesses and institutional clients since inception of the Firm in 1994.
Our comprehensive approach to all aspects of a client’s financial life, the extensive experience of our principals, and the accessibility of experts, set us apart from other firms.
Our primary business focus is money management, with each account individually managed to maximize wealth preservation and growth over time. We also provide advice related to retirement planning, tax planning, philanthropic planning, financial planning and college planning, as well as estate planning and wealth transfer guidance. Our goal is to provide clients with as much information as necessary to effectively manage portfolios and help achieve their financial goals.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisory division of Weatherly Asset Management, Inc. As an independent partnership, the Firm is wholly owned and operated by the partnership.
For information on our wealth management team, and for a full list of services we provide, please visit: http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/team/
For information on our ADV filings and Compliance, please visit:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/106935
http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/adv/
If you would like to learn more, please contact:
Carolyn P. Taylor
858-259-4507
Carolyn Taylor was named in the Shook Research’s 2025 Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State list. She was invited to complete an online survey detailing information about her career, as well as Weatherly as a firm. Carolyn was named 8th out of 145 advisors in Southern California. The list was published on February 11th, 2025 on Forbes.com at https://www.forbes.com/lists/best-in-state-women-advisors/.
The 2025 Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State ranking is based on Weatherly’s discretionary AUM as of 9/30/24, which was $1,453,713,002.
The Forbes ranking of America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors and Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative data, learned through surveys and interviews conducted by telephone, in-person and virtually to evaluate best practices, such as service models, investing models and compliance records as well as quantitative data, such as revenue trends and assets under management. All advisors have a minimum of seven years’ experience. Portfolio performance is not a criterion due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings. In total, 48,220 nominations were received, and 26,240 advisors were invited to complete the online survey. Throughout the research process, 22,814 telephone interviews, 5,672 in-person interviews, and 1,545 virtual interviews were conducted. The ranking listed 145 advisors in Southern California, and Carolyn was ranked 8th.
Basic Requirements to be considered for the “Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State” included: 1) 7 years as an advisor; 2) minimum 1 year at current firm 3) advisor must be recommended, and nominated, by Firm, 4) completion of online survey; 5) business that is conducted with individuals is evaluated; and 6) an acceptable compliance record. In addition to the above basic requirements, advisors were also judged on the following quantitative figures: 1) revenue/production; weightings assigned for each; 2) assets under management—and quality of those assets—both custodied and a scrutinized look at assets held away (although individual numbers are used for ranking purposes, the ranking publishes the entire team’s assets); 3) client-related data (i.e. retention.) NOTE: Portfolio performance was not considered – audited returns among advisors are rare, and differing client objectives provide varying returns. Qualitative considerations examined included but were not limited to: 1) telephone and in-person meetings with advisors; 2) compliance records and U4s; 3) SHOOK measures client “impact,” a proprietary indicator that measures difference advisors make in the lives of their clients; 4) advisors that provide a full client experience (factors examined include service model, investing processes, fee structure (higher % of fee-based assets earns more points,) and breadth of services, including extensive use of Firm’s platform and resources; 5) credentials (years of service can serve as proxy); 6) use of team & team dynamics; 7) community involvement; 8) discussions with management, peers, competing peers, and 9) telephone and in-person meetings. Compliance records and U4s were also reviewed in detail as part of the selection process including: 1) infractions denied or closed with no action; 2) complaints that arose from a product, service or advice initiated by a previous advisor or another member or former member of team; 3) length of time since complaint; 4) complaints related to product failure not related to investment advice; 5) complaints that have been settled to appease a client who remained with the advisor for at least one year following settlement date; 6) complaints that were proven to be meritless; and 7) actions taken as a result of administrative error or failure by firm.
Weatherly Asset Management did not pay any fees to SHOOK to be nominated or included in the “Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State” list and Weatherly was not required to advertise in, or subscribe to, Forbes. As of the time of this disclosure, Weatherly did not elect to pay for reprints of the list.
Inclusion in this ranking is not representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of Weatherly’s future performance. Weatherly is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the ranking or the appropriateness of advertising the award.
SHOOK Disclosures
SHOOK is completely independent and objective and does not receive compensation from the advisors, firms, the media, or any other source in exchange for placement on a ranking. SHOOK is funded through conferences, publications and research partners. Since every investor has unique needs, investors must carefully choose the right advisor for their own situation and perform their own due diligence. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience; the firm’s research and rankings provide opinions for how to choose the right financial advisor. Portfolio performance is not a criterion due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Remember, past performance is not an indication of future results. For more information and complete details on methodology, go to www.shookresearch.com.
About Weatherly Asset Management, L.P.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is a Registered Investment Advisor, located in Del Mar, California, dedicated to providing high quality, holistic and innovative wealth management services to high net worth individuals, small businesses and institutional clients since inception of the Firm in 1994.
Our comprehensive approach to all aspects of a client’s financial life, the extensive experience of our principals, and the accessibility of experts, set us apart from other firms.
Our primary business focus is money management, with each account individually managed to maximize wealth preservation and growth over time. We also provide advice related to retirement planning, tax planning, philanthropic planning, financial planning and college planning, as well as estate planning and wealth transfer guidance. Our goal is to provide clients with as much information as necessary to effectively manage portfolios and help achieve their financial goals.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisory division of Weatherly Asset Management, Inc. As an independent partnership, the Firm is wholly owned and operated by the partnership.
For information on our wealth management team, and for a full list of services we provide, please visit: http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/team/
For information on our ADV filings and Compliance, please visit:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/106935
http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/adv/
If you would like to learn more, please contact:
Carolyn P. Taylor
858-259-4507
Seven of Weatherly’s team members were named 2025 Five Star Wealth Managers in December of 2024 for the time period 2/13/24 through 8/30/24. Five Star Professional completed the interview process to determine 2025 Five Star Wealth Managers, and included Carolyn Taylor, Brent Armstrong, Kelli Burger, Brooke Boone Kelly, Ryan Richardson, Aubrey Brown, and Chase Hayhurst in their rankings. The article can be found here: https://www.fivestarprofessional.com/awardwinners/SDWM.
The detailed Five Star Professional Wealth Manager Program Summary and Research Methodology is available online. The Wealth Manager award, administered by Crescendo Business Services, LLC (dba Five Star Professional), is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a registered investment adviser or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by Five Star Professional, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations.
The Five Star Wealth Manager award program recognizes and promotes wealth managers. Five Star Wealth Manager candidates were identified by one of three sources; firm nomination, peer nomination or pre-qualification based on industry standing. Five Star Professional notified advisors of their candidacy for the award via an email solicitation. Weatherly provided data in the form of an online survey submission and each advisor participated in a phone interview to confirm personal information. Neither Weatherly nor its employees were required to be a member of an organization to be eligible to receive the award. No payment was required of Weatherly to be considered for the award or to be named a Five Star Wealth Manager. Once awarded, wealth managers may opt to purchase additional profile ad space or related award promotional products. Weatherly purchased additional profile ad space in the Wall Street Journal and digital and hard-copy reprints.
Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. Award does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. Once awarded, wealth managers may purchase additional profile ad space or promotional products. The Five Star award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their client’s assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by Five Star Professional or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future.
Weatherly did not pay Five Star for promotional materials associated with the 2025 Five Star program.
In total, 2,588 San Diego-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 190 (7% of candidates) were named 2025 Five Star Wealth Managers. 2024: 2,242 considered, 197 winners; 2023: 2,123 considered, 211 winners; 2022: 2,084 considered, 223 winners; 2021: 6,123 considered, 459 winners; 2020: 2,018 considered, 231 winners; 2019: 1,885 considered, 224 winners; 2018: 1,498 considered, 228 winners; 2017: 1,349 considered, 349 winners; 2016: 1,337 considered, 349 winners; 2015: 1,639 considered, 350 winners; 2014: 1,838 considered, 368 winners; 2013: 1,675 considered, 417 winners; 2012: 1,014 considered, 284 winners.
Five Star Professional conducts a review of each award candidate as reported by FINRA and the SEC. For wealth managers with a CRD Number, Five Star Professional relies on the wealth manager’s FINRA BrokerCheck Report and/or the SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website. For wealth managers without a CRD Number, Five Star Professional relies on Form ADV for the wealth manager’s firm. Additionally, Five Star Professional promotes, via local advertising and through their website, the opportunity to submit feedback — including whether a consumer had an unsatisfactory experience — regarding a wealth manager. Complaint data submitted in this way serves as an early alert system to unfiled consumer complaints and augments the regulatory review of reported complaints.
Receipt of this award is not representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of Weatherly’s future performance. Weatherly is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the award or the appropriateness of advertising the award.
About Weatherly Asset Management, L.P.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is a Registered Investment Advisor, located in Del Mar, California, dedicated to providing high quality, holistic and innovative wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals, small businesses and institutional clients since inception of the Firm in 1994.
Our comprehensive approach to all aspects of a client’s financial life, the extensive experience of our principals, and the accessibility of experts, set us apart from other firms.
Our primary business focus is money management, with each account individually managed to maximize wealth preservation and growth over time. We also provide advice related to retirement planning, tax planning, philanthropic planning, financial planning and college planning, as well as estate planning and wealth transfer guidance. Our goal is to provide clients with as much information as necessary to effectively manage portfolios and help achieve their financial goals.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisory division of Weatherly Asset Management, Inc. As an independent partnership, the Firm is wholly owned and operated by the partnership.
For information on our wealth management team, and for a full list of services we provide, please visit: http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/team/
For information on our ADV filings and Compliance, please visit:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/106935
http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/adv/
If you would like to learn more, please contact:
Carolyn P. Taylor
858-259-4507
Carolyn Taylor and Brent Armstrong were featured in Barron’s Fall 2024 Big Money Poll of professional investors article. This poll allowed professionals to share their views on the financial markets, the economy, and the developments that will shape both in the year ahead. Barron’s has been conducting the Big Money Poll for nearly 30 years. The Fall 2024 Big Money Poll was published in Barron’s and on barrons.com in late October. As in the past, the Fall 2024 poll surveyed a cross-section of the nation’s top money managers.
Carolyn and Brent received an email inviting them to participate in Barron’s Fall 2024 Big Money Poll. Barron’s solicits the investment opinions of professional investors every spring and fall.
Barron’s conducted the Big Money Poll with the assistance of Erdos Media Research in Ramsey, NJ. The latest poll drew 110 respondents. Weatherly responded to the invitation by submitting answers to the online survey. As with past polls, interviews with several money managers who completed surveys were conducted. After Weatherly submitted the online survey, the team was contacted to schedule a phone interview with Barrons. The phone interview with Barron’s took place in mid-October with Weatherly’s Carolyn Taylor and Brent Armstrong. The resulting article is available here and features comments from Carolyn, Brent and a variety of other money managers: https://www.barrons.com/articles/stocks-market-prediction-big-money-poll-5ffbe89b.
There was no cost to participate in the survey or interview process. Weatherly was not required to advertise in or subscribe to Barrons to participate in the survey or article.
Inclusion in this article is not representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of Weatherly’s future performance. Weatherly is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the ranking or the appropriateness of advertising the award.
About Weatherly Asset Management, L.P.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is a Registered Investment Advisor, located in Del Mar, California, dedicated to providing high quality, holistic and innovative wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals, small businesses and institutional clients since inception of the Firm in 1994.
Our comprehensive approach to all aspects of a client’s financial life, the extensive experience of our principals, and the accessibility of experts, set us apart from other firms.
Our primary business focus is money management, with each account individually managed to maximize wealth preservation and growth over time. We also provide advice related to retirement planning, tax planning, philanthropic planning, financial planning and college planning, as well as estate planning and wealth transfer guidance. Our goal is to provide clients with as much information as necessary to effectively manage portfolios and help achieve their financial goals.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisory division of Weatherly Asset Management, Inc. As an independent partnership, the Firm is wholly owned and operated by the partnership.
For information on our wealth management team, and for a full list of services we provide, please visit: http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/team/
For information on our ADV filings and Compliance, please visit:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/106935
http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/adv/
If you would like to learn more, please contact:
Carolyn P. Taylor
858-259-4507
Carolyn Taylor was included in Barron’s 2024 Top 100 Independent Advisors list. The full list can be viewed on Barron’s website. View the list here: https://www.barrons.com/advisor/report/top-financial-advisors/independent?page=1.
The ranking reflects data as of 06/30/2024 including the volume of assets overseen by the advisors and their teams, revenues generated for the firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices. In many instances, the primary goal is asset preservation. The scoring system assigns a top score of 100 and rates the rest by comparing them with the top-ranked advisor. Carolyn was ranked 99th.
Carolyn Taylor was invited to participate in the nomination process via email solicitation from Barron’s. Barron’s uses a proprietary method to rank advisors based on the criteria above. Weatherly provides this data to Barron’s in the form of a survey response. Initial ranking is done by Barron’s; publicly available data is verified by Barron’s against SEC and FINRA reports. Barron’s then conducts the next level of ranking. Data that is not independently verified by Barron’s is then sent back to the Firm for verification. Barron’s then incorporates any required changes into the ranking and finalizes the list for editorial use and publishing.
No payment was required for nomination or inclusion in the ranking. No organizational memberships were required of the Firm or individuals. Ranking on this list is not representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of Weatherly’s future performance. Weatherly is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the ranking or the appropriateness of advertising inclusion in this list.
About Weatherly Asset Management, L.P.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is a Registered Investment Advisor, located in Del Mar, California, dedicated to providing high quality, holistic and innovative wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals, small businesses and institutional clients since inception of the Firm in 1994.
Our comprehensive approach to all aspects of a client’s financial life, the extensive experience of our principals, and the accessibility of experts, set us apart from other firms.
Our primary business focus is money management, with each account individually managed to maximize wealth preservation and growth over time. We also provide advice related to retirement planning, tax planning, philanthropic planning, financial planning and college planning, as well as estate planning and wealth transfer guidance. Our goal is to provide clients with as much information as necessary to effectively manage portfolios and help achieve their financial goals.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisory division of Weatherly Asset Management, Inc. As an independent partnership, the Firm is wholly owned and operated by the partnership.
For information on our wealth management team, and for a full list of services we provide, please visit: http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/team/
For information on our ADV filings and Compliance, please visit:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/106935
http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/adv/
If you would like to learn more, please contact:
Carolyn P. Taylor
858-259-4507
Over the past few years Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a hot topic commanding the world’s attention. Although the field of AI research began in the 1950s, many consider us to be in an AI renaissance. The excitement around AI has ignited a gold rush mentality, driving unprecedented levels of investment into the AI sector. However, amidst the excitement and promise, it’s important to wade through the hype and identify true opportunities.
Key AI Trends
With public interest in AI being at an all-time high, people are eager to experience and benefit from AI powered systems. This high demand has helped the AI landscape evolve rapidly, with new advancements and applications being released daily. Some of the most prominent real-world AI trends currently driving the industry are:
- Generative AI: Arguably the hottest trend with models like ChatGPT and Midjourney capturing the public’s attention. Generative AI programs are defined by being able to create new content from human prompts. The most common content created with Generative AI is text and images, however, new generative programs are able to create music, code, and even video content.
- Multimodal AI: This is the ability of AI models to process and understand multiple forms of data (text, images, audio, video, etc.) This trend is leading to a deeper understanding of content and more human-like interactions.
- AI for Good: There is a growing emphasis on using AI to have a social impact by addressing global challenges such as climate change, healthcare, and education. This can include Ethical AI which prioritizes developing AI systems that are fair, unbiased, transparent, and accessible.
- AI in the Enterprise: Enterprise AI strives to create operational efficiency by automating routine tasks and optimizing processes. Many companies are working towards embracing Enterprise AI to create an augmented workforce where AI is used as a tool to enhance human capabilities rather than replace.
Understanding the AI Landscape
Although AI was born nearly 70 years ago, its recent boom in popularity has the whole world talking about it. AI has become a trending topic, and with companies slapping the “AI” label on nearly everything, it can create a distorted picture of the market, making it difficult to differentiate between genuine invocation and overhyped promises. The AI landscape is a complex ecosystem, and in order to make informed decisions, it’s crucial to understand some of the components essential to any AI value chain.
- Infrastructure: The software and hardware necessary to power AI applications. This includes high- performance computing systems, data centers, and chips.
- Data Management and Analytics: High volumes of quality data are the fuel for AI. Accessing, handling, and extracting insights from vast datasets is crucial for AI’s success.
- Algorithms: These are the core of AI systems. Developing cutting-edge algorithms is a key area of focus for many AI companies. Some recent breakthroughs include deep learning, reinforcement learning, and generative models.
- Applications: This encompasses the end products and services powered by AI. AI driven solutions span across various sectors. Some real- world applications include healthcare, finance, transportation, and customer service.
Investing in AI
Key Considerations
When considering investments in AI, it’s important to focus on several key areas:
- Scalability: The ability of a company’s AI solutions to scale effectively as demand grows is crucial for long-term success.
- Data Management: Effective data management practices are vital, as the quality and volume of data directly impact the performance of AI systems. Good data in equals good data out.
- Cost: The cost of developing and implementing AI technologies can be high. Investors should assess whether companies have a sustainable financial model.
- Talent Recruitment/Retention: The competitive landscape for AI talent is intense. Companies that can attract and retain top talent will have a strategic advantage.
Challenges
Despite the immense potential, investing in AI comes with its own set of challenges:
- Overvaluation: The hype around AI can lead to inflated valuations. Investors should be wary of overpaying for companies with unproven technologies or track records.
- Regulatory Risks: The regulatory environment for AI is still evolving. Companies may face significant hurdles related to data privacy, security, and ethical considerations.
- Ethical Concerns: As AI technologies become more prevalent, ethical considerations around bias, fairness, and transparency become increasingly important.
Navigating the AI Investment landscape requires a careful balance of enthusiasm and skepticism. By focusing on genuine opportunities and understanding the inherent risks, investors can position themselves to benefit from the transformative potential of AI.
AI’s Broader Impact
Economic Growth
AI’s impact on economic growth is profound, with predictions estimating its contribution to be up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. This staggering figure likely surpasses the combined current output of China and India, driven significantly by $6.6 trillion worth of enhanced productivity and consumer demand from AI-based products and services. (Sizing the prize (pwc.com))
Job Market Transformation
The job landscape is set for a major transformation due to AI, affecting almost 40% of jobs globally. This shift will require carefully balanced policies to manage the transition effectively, ensuring that workforce disruptions are minimized while new opportunities are created.
Investment Surge
The flow of investments into AI development is robust, reflecting its perceived high value and potential to disrupt various industries. This surge underscores the crucial need for investors to identify genuine opportunities and avoid fleeting trends.
Beyond Economic Impact
AI’s influence stretches beyond economic factors to affect national security, politics, and culture, establishing its role as a transformative force across all societal facets.
Identifying Real Opportunities in AI Investments
Investors are urged to focus on sectors where AI could cause significant disruption. Notable areas include healthcare, finance, transportation and logistics, manufacturing, and retail.
- Healthcare
- Disruption: AI can significantly enhance diagnostic accuracy, predict patient outcomes, and personalize treatment plans.
- Profitability: Investing in AI-driven healthcare startups and companies focusing on AI-based diagnostics tools and personalized medicine can lead to substantial returns as these technologies become standard in medical practice.
- Finance
- Disruption: AI is transforming finance through fraud detection, algorithmic trading, personalized financial planning, and Risk Management.
- Profitability: The use of AI to improve fraud detection can lead to reduced financial losses and increased customer trust, while Algorithmic trading enhances trading efficiency, and AI tools are able to enhance risk assessment by analyzing various risk factors and predict potential issues to help institutions make informed decisions.
- Transportation and Logistics
- Disruption: AI optimizes route planning, autonomous vehicles, and predictive maintenance.
- Profitability: Companies developing AI for autonomous driving and logistics optimization like self-driving truck startups and AI-based fleet management systems, offer promising investment opportunities.
- Manufacturing
- Disruption: AI-driven automation improves production efficiency, quality control and predictive maintenance.
- Profitability: Investing in AI firms specializing in industrial automation and robotics can be lucrative as manufacturers adopt AI to enhance productivity and reduce costs
- Retail:
- Disruption: AI enhances customer experience through personalized shopping, inventory management, and sales forecasting.
- Profitability: Investing in retail companies leveraging AI for customer analytics and supply chain optimization can be highly profitable as they gain a competitive edge in the market.
Risks and Challenges in AI Investments
The emerging nature of AI technology brings with it risks such as algorithmic bias and data privacy issues. Investors must conduct thorough due diligence to sidestep investments in overhyped “fake AI” or “AI washing.” This refers to the practice where companies claim to use AI technologies to boost their appeal and attract investment, but they lack the substantial AI capabilities to back these claims.
Investment Strategies for AI
A strategic approach to AI investment involves a blend of short-term tactical moves and long-term vision. This includes staying vigilant of AI advancements and learning from both triumphs and failures within the AI sector.
Energy Intensity of AI
While AI offers significant benefits, it is also energy intensive. Training large AI models requires substantial computational power, leading to high energy consumption. For instance, data centers housing AI systems consume vast amounts of electricity, contributing to the carbon footprint of AI technologies. Efforts are being made to develop more energy-efficient AI algorithms and use renewable energy sources to power data centers, aiming to mitigate the environmental impact of AI.
Conclusion
AI has undeniably captured the world’s attention. With every passing day, we witness groundbreaking advancements. From self-driving cars to medical innovations, the potential applications of AI are seemingly limitless. However, amidst the excitement and promise, it is crucial to navigate the hype and identify genuine opportunities. Navigating the AI investment landscape requires a balanced approach of enthusiasm and caution. With a deep understanding of AI’s technological underpinnings, legal considerations, and market readiness, investors can successfully leverage the countless opportunities presented by this dynamic technology. Through our portfolios Weatherly is embracing AI by adding to the sector in diverse ways. We continue to discuss new opportunities and risks as they relate to our individual clients’ accounts and look forward to new advancements in this sector.
** The information provided should not be interpreted as a recommendation, no aspects of your individual financial situation were considered. Always consult a financial professional before implementing any strategies derived from the information above.
Brent Armstrong, Kelli Burger and Brooke Boone Kelly were listed as finalists for the 2024 San Diego Business Journal 40 Business Leaders under 40 award. The San Diego Business Journal (“Journal”) recognized 40 dynamic business leaders under 40 who have contributed significantly to San Diego’s workplaces and communities.
The San Diego Business Journal solicited nominations via email invitation to their mailing lists and via the paper journal circulation. Members of the Weatherly team nominated include Kelli Burger, Brent Armstrong, and Brooke Boone Kelly. Not all nominees were named finalists.
Nominees were asked to provide a profile on the nominee’s specific career and accomplishments. Weatherly supplied the information for the nomination by completing the Journal’s questionnaire.
Weatherly was not required to make payments or purchases to nominate, be nominated, be considered, or included on the list related to the award. No organizational memberships were required of the Firm or individuals. The advertisement of nomination for the award is not representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of Weatherly’s future performance. Weatherly is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the award, nominations for the award, or the appropriateness of related advertising.
About Weatherly Asset Management, L.P.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is a Registered Investment Advisor, located in Del Mar, California, dedicated to providing high quality, holistic and innovative wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals, small businesses and institutional clients since inception of the Firm in 1994.
Our comprehensive approach to all aspects of a client’s financial life, the extensive experience of our principals, and the accessibility of experts, set us apart from other firms.
Our primary business focus is money management, with each account individually managed to maximize wealth preservation and growth over time. We also provide advice related to retirement planning, tax planning, philanthropic planning, financial planning and college planning, as well as estate planning and wealth transfer guidance. Our goal is to provide clients with as much information as necessary to effectively manage portfolios and help achieve their financial goals.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisory division of Weatherly Asset Management, Inc. As an independent partnership, the Firm is wholly owned and operated by the partnership.
For information on our wealth management team, and for a full list of services we provide, please visit: http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/team/
For information on our ADV filings and Compliance, please visit:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/106935
http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/adv/
If you would like to learn more, please contact:
Carolyn P. Taylor
858-259-4507
Avocados for the win! Weatherly continues to celebrate our 30th Anniversary by partaking in 30 charitable events this year. It was truly inspiring to be part of Feeding San Diego’s mission to end hunger. The charity’s mission involves food rescue initiatives to support various programs like the School Pantry Program to serve local San Diegans experiencing hunger. The WAM team were fortunate to be a part of this mission by helping rescue and pack 1400 pounds of avocados at a volunteer event yesterday afternoon. We believe community efforts as such go a long way as Feeding San Diego serves millions of meals each year. Learn more about Feeding San Diego here: https://feedingsandiego.org/.