Advisor360° Survey: Financial Advisors Are Optimistic About AI, But Insist on Oversight

74% of Advisors See AI as an Advantage; 93% Want Control Over AI

NEEDHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The latest research from wealthtech provider Advisor360°™ reveals that financial advisors are upbeat about the role that artificial intelligence (AI) can play in their workday, while remaining clear-eyed about the need for oversight. Seventy-four percent say AI already helps their practice, but 93% say retaining control over decisions and advice when using AI tools is non-negotiable.

Advisor360°’s 2026 Connected Wealth Report: AI Edition surveyed 300 U.S.-based financial advisors at registered investment advisors (RIAs), broker-dealers, and banks to understand how technology is shaping the advisor experience and client engagement. The results show an industry eager to embrace the benefits of AI while taking a measured approach until compliance and oversight issues are sorted out.

While adoption is growing, the survey reveals advisors don’t trust AI completely. More than half (55%) cite compliance and regulatory hurdles as the main reasons they don’t use AI, and 46% say they lack confidence in AI outputs.

“Advisors are approaching AI with pragmatic optimism as they explore how the technology can help them serve clients more efficiently,” said Mat Mathews, Chief Product & Engineering Officer at Advisor360°. “The workflow intelligence that’s built into the best AI means it can adapt and recommend actions based on proven outcomes, which goes a long way toward building advisors’ trust in these tools.”

A Matter of Trust

Financial advisors say AI can earn their trust with more validation and approval from industry insiders. Thirty-nine percent want proof that AI technology has been tested by peers before allowing it to operate without oversight, and 34% say compliance approval is a prerequisite to relinquishing control.

Notably, only 14% of advisors currently use AI to help identify investment opportunities, and just 3% rely on AI-generated financial recommendations. Regulatory approval (39%), proven use cases (39%), and auditable logic (38%) are the factors most likely to boost advisors’ trust in AI’s ability to make financial recommendations.

Advisors already use AI-enabled tools to tackle administrative tasks more efficiently, including generating meeting summaries and notes (31%), updating CRM records (28%), preparing for client meetings (26%), and managing routine client communications (25%).

Despite high adoption, few advisors are comfortable discussing their AI use with clients. Just 21% proactively raise the topic with clients, and less than half (49%) will do so if asked. Thirty percent avoid mentioning AI altogether.

“For most advisors, confidence in AI-native tools—and their comfort discussing them with clients—comes from knowing the technology is operating within clearly defined guardrails,” Mathews said. “As these frameworks mature and real-world outcomes continue to validate the technology, advisors will begin to see AI not just as a helpful assistant, but as a reliable, trusted teammate.”

The full report is available for download at 2026 Connected Wealth Report: AI Edition.

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About the Survey
As part of its award-winning Connected Wealth Report research series, Advisor360° surveyed 301 financial advisors at registered investment advisors (RIAs), broker-dealers, and banks across the U.S. about their views on how technology shapes their work. Survey participants self-identified as being responsible for managing, on average, $548 million in client assets either individually or as part of a team—and hailed from firms with a median AUM of $65 billion. The email-based survey was fielded in the fall 2025 by FUSE Research Network on behalf of Advisor360°. Advisor360° and FUSE are separate and unaffiliated organizations.

About Advisor360°
Advisor360° delivers the first AI-native advisor experience for firms of every size, model, and stage. Built around advisor growth and designed to scale, Advisor360° is the only platform architected to deliver business value across the full advisor experience. Powered by Wealth OS—our modern data and workflow engine—the platform removes daily friction and turns fragmented data into actionable intelligence. From independent advisors to enterprise broker-dealers and RIAs, we deliver a consistent, household-level client experience that scales with your business. Today, two million households with $1 trillion in assets benefit from the connected Advisor360° experience.

To learn more, visit www.advisor360.com.