Project BackgroundIn today's fast-paced financial markets, recruitment consultants require timely, relevant insights to stay competitive, especially in dynamic regions like Asia. To address this need, a project team led by Prof. Eric Ngai of the Department of Management and Marketing and Prof. Brian Kei of the School of Accounting and Finance is developing an AI-based system tailored for financial news processing and reporting. The system is designed to meet the unique demands of recruitment consultants who focus on Asian markets. The project leverages Generative AI (Gen-AI) to deliver targeted, real-time financial insights that are both actionable and tailored to the decision-making needs of recruitment consultants. Project AimThe primary aim is to create an automated, AI-based solution that streamlines financial news classification, aggregation and reporting for recruitment consultants. This system will enable users to track critical developments across key Asian financial markets efficiently. The project will contribute significantly to GenAI-assisted talent tracking and HR planning for senior management in various branches of the financial industry, including fund management, private wealth management, investment banking and family offices. |
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Prof. Eric W.T. Ngai Distinguished Research Professor, Department of Management and Marketing |
Project Objectives
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Automated news classification: Use AI to classify financial news from major Asian markets, prioritising topics of high relevance for recruitment.
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Targeted data collection: Collect data from essential financial news sources, ensuring coverage of key updates.
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Intelligent categorisation and prioritisation: Use AI-driven algorithms to categorise and prioritise content based on relevance.
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GenAI content summarisation: Summarise and curate key stories, using GenAI to highlight crucial insights.
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Monthly insight reports: Use Gen AI to generate comprehensive monthly reports that provide in-depth analysis, actionable insights, and a clear summary of key developments.
Progress and Next Steps
Since commencing the project in June 2024, the team has made substantial progress in developing the data collection and classification algorithms, identifying key Asian news sources, and aggregating and processing data. The team is now working on the intelligent categorisation and GenAI-driven summarisation functions, and aims to have a prototype ready by the end of December.
Next, the team will test and refine the GenAI-based content selection and report generation features. This will ensure that the system outputs are both relevant and insightful for recruitment consultants.
Implications of Findings
This project will provide a powerful tool for recruitment consultants by delivering reliable, actionable financial insights tailored to their clients’ industries. The project findings and the resulting AI solutions could set a new standard for applying GenAI technology in recruitment consulting, particularly in the high-stakes financial sector of Asian markets. Ultimately, this innovation could strengthen decision-making capabilities and provide consultants with a strategic edge.
Project BackgroundMental health challenges are a global crisis, costing the global economy US$1 trillion annually in lost productivity. The World Health Organization estimates that depression and anxiety alone result in over 12 billion lost workdays each year. These figures underscore the urgency of addressing mental health as a core component of organisational strategy. To address this need, an interdisciplinary project team led by Prof. Hang-Jun Cho of the Department of Management and Marketing, with co-authors from Hong Kong University Business School, INSEAD (France), and Ajou University School of Medicine (South Korea), is harnessing AI to create workplaces that support mental well-being and psychological safety. This initiative is further empowered by a collaboration between the Department of Management and Marketing and Ajou University School of Medicine, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding. Project AimThe primary aim of this project is to harness AI to help create workplaces that support mental well-being and psychological safety – the belief that the workplace is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. This is vital for innovation and teamwork. |
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Prof. Hang-Jun Cho Assistant Professor, Department of Management and Marketing |
Project Methodology
The team conducted an eight-week randomised field experiment at a South Korean social enterprise employing individuals with diverse mental health conditions. The intervention used an AI-powered mental health app designed to provide personalised, clinically validated support, including the following:
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Mental health assessments: Evidence-based tools to measure anxiety and depression levels.
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Personalised interventions: Tailored therapy modules, gratitude journaling and dynamic content recommendations.
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Real-time monitoring: Tools for tracking mood, stress and sleep to promote self-awareness and control.
The app’s machine learning algorithms adapted to users’ needs, empowering them to take control of their mental health while ensuring their information remained private and the app was easy to use.
Key Findings
The study revealed three critical outcomes of integrating AI-driven mental health support into the workplace:
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Increased self-awareness: Employees reported greater confidence in managing their mental health.
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Expanded social networks: The app enabled employees to view a broader range of colleagues as trustworthy sources of support.
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Enhanced psychological safety: Significant improvements in psychological safety were observed.
Implications
This project provides a powerful tool for enhancing workplace well-being. Key takeaways for leaders include:
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Leveraging AI for well-being: AI tools can provide personalised, scalable support.
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Fostering inclusive cultures: Implementing mental-health support technology enhances psychological safety, empowering teams to embrace diverse perspectives and create an environment conducive to risk-taking and innovation.
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Leading with empathy and technology: Tomorrow’s leaders must embrace the dual role of technology and human-centred practices.
The Path Forward
By integrating AI into workplace mental health strategies, organisations can address the root causes of disengagement and isolation. AI-powered tools enable employees to build trust and connection in ways that traditional methods cannot. As organisations navigate the complexities of the AI-driven economy, the most successful leaders will be those who recognise that the greatest potential of technology is its ability to enhance the human experience. By fostering psychological safety through AI-driven mental health support, organisations can unlock the collective potential of their teams and prepare for a future defined by collaboration, resilience and innovation.
A manuscript of this study is currently under revision at a leading UTD-ranked journal.
