Norway’s $2.2 trillion sovereign wealth fund, Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), is now utilizing artificial intelligence to screen investments for potential ethical and reputational risks, CNBC reported.
Established in the 1990s to invest revenues from Norway’s oil and gas industry, NBIM manages one of the world’s largest funds and holds stakes in over 7,200 companies across 60 countries, representing approximately 1.5 percent of global listed equities. The fund’s significant size and scope produce it a key influencer in the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investment sector.
According to the fund’s annual responsible investment report, the organization is leveraging AI to provide portfolio managers with insights into governance and sustainability issues. This expansion of information analysis allows for quicker identification of potential risks, NBIM stated.
The fund’s ESG risk monitoring team began using Anthropic’s Claude AI model in their daily workflow in November 2024, and it has since turn into a vital tool across the portfolio.
These tools aid rapidly examine a wide range of public information, extending beyond what is typically covered by data providers, the NBIM’s 2025 report detailed. When risks emerge around key themes, the large language model (LLM) conducts deeper searches and provides contextual summaries.
“Within 24 hours of an investment, the AI tools flag new companies in the fund’s equity portfolio that are potentially linked to issues such as forced labor, corruption, or fraud,” the report stated.
The report further noted, “This information often does not appear in international media coverage or data provider alerts. We always review the information before making investment or risk-based decisions. In several instances, we have identified and divested these investments before the broader market reacted to the risks, avoiding potential losses.”
NBIM indicated that the use of AI has been particularly valuable in researching smaller companies operating in emerging markets, where news about the companies is often found only in local-language media outlets.
