Best AI for AdvisorsReport · Updated October 23, 2026
State of AI in Wealth Management 2026
Ten public studies published between August 2023 and October 2026 measure AI use among financial advisors, wealth firms and investors. They count different people in different ways, so this report keeps each number with its own population, sample and dates. It adds data only we have: what the AI tools in our directory cost and how many publish their prices.
By William Foster, Founder. Published October 23, 2026. General information, not investment, legal or compliance advice.
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Disclosure: Some links on this page may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Listings are independent and sponsored placements are always labeled. Learn more.
Sponsorship never affects this report's data or wording. The survey numbers come from the publishers named next to each one.
Key findings
Each number is for the group the source surveyed. They aren't comparable with each other.
52%
52% of advisors are using one or more search or generative AI tools, compared to only 41% in 2025.
Advisory community, T3 survey, 2026
63%
63% of independent RIAs now use AI tools in some capacity, and adoption has more than doubled since 2023.
Schwab-custodied RIAs, Oct 2025
20%
The share of surveyed advisors reporting no AI use fell from 33% in 2025 to 20% in 2026.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026
85%
85% of advisors have adopted AI-integrated solutions within their practices to some degree.
US advisors (RIA and BD), AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026
73%
Active use of AI tools jumped to 73% among employee advisors, up from 44% last year.
Employee advisors, J.D. Power 2026
40.92%
ChatGPT holds the largest market share among search and generative AI tools (40.92%).
Share among AI tools used, T3 2026
42.86%
The survey identified 14 AI notetaking solutions, up from one the year before, and their aggregate market share reached 42.86%.
Advisory community, T3 survey, 2026
More than half
More than half of advisors who have adopted AI report saving at least four hours each week.
AI adopters, AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026
18%
Only 18% rated AI tools as highly reliable for investment recommendations or portfolio decisions.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026
31%
31% of investors report feeling comfortable implementing financial planning advice from a generative AI tool without verifying it with another source.
US adults, CFP Board, July 2023
How many advisors use AI
The surveys below report figures from 42% to 85%, depending on who was asked and what counted as “using AI.” Year-over-year changes below are only shown inside one survey series.
Why the numbers differ
- Different people. Schwab surveyed RIAs that custody at Schwab. J.D. Power surveyed broker-dealer advisors. Cerulli looked at bank advisors. T3 and Morningstar drew from the wider advisory community.
- Different definitions. T3 counts search or generative AI tools. AssetMark counts “AI-integrated solutions,” which can include software with AI built in. J.D. Power asks about active use of AI tools.
- Different dates. The advisor surveys were fielded between early 2025 and August 2026, while use was rising fast.
- So we don't average, add or rank them. Read each one with its population line.
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<figure><a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/#t3-ai-adoption"><img src="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/t3-ai-adoption.svg" alt="Advisors using search or generative AI tools. T3/Inside Information Software Survey, 2025 vs 2026 (2,906 responses in 2026). 2025: 41%; 2026: 52%. Source: T3 and Inside Information, 2026 T3/Inside Information Software Survey, initial findings (Business Wire release), published March 10, 2026. Chart: bestaiforadvisors.com." width="720" height="387" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption>Source: T3 and Inside Information. Chart: <a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/">State of AI in Wealth Management 2026, Best AI for Advisors</a></figcaption></figure>
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<figure><a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/#jdpower-ai-adoption"><img src="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/jdpower-ai-adoption.svg" alt="Active use of AI tools, employee vs independent advisors. J.D. Power U.S. Financial Advisor Satisfaction Study, 2025 vs 2026 (4,503 advisors in 2026). Employee advisors: 2025 44%, 2026 73%; Independent advisors: 2025 19%, 2026 42%. Source: J.D. Power, 2026 U.S. Financial Advisor Satisfaction Study, December 2025 to April 2026. Chart: bestaiforadvisors.com." width="720" height="500" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption>Source: J.D. Power. Chart: <a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/">State of AI in Wealth Management 2026, Best AI for Advisors</a></figcaption></figure>
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<figure><a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/#morningstar-no-ai"><img src="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/morningstar-no-ai.svg" alt="Advisors reporting no AI use. Morningstar Investor Perspectives advisor study, 2025 vs 2026 (501 responses in 2026). 2025: 33%; 2026: 20%. Source: Morningstar, 2026 Morningstar Investor Perspectives Advisor study (press release), July 21 to August 16, 2026. Chart: bestaiforadvisors.com." width="720" height="366" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption>Source: Morningstar. Chart: <a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/">State of AI in Wealth Management 2026, Best AI for Advisors</a></figcaption></figure>
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<figure><a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/#cerulli-bank-ai"><img src="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/cerulli-bank-ai.svg" alt="AI use at banks, now and expected within two years. Cerulli Associates, U.S. Private Banks and Trust Companies 2025. Bank advisors: Now 42%, Within two years 77%; Private banks: Now 56%, Within two years 80%. Source: Cerulli Associates, “77% of Bank Advisors Plan to Incorporate AI into Their Practice” (The Cerulli Report, U.S. Private Banks and Trust Companies 2025), published September 4, 2025. Chart: bestaiforadvisors.com." width="720" height="498" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption>Source: Cerulli Associates. Chart: <a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/">State of AI in Wealth Management 2026, Best AI for Advisors</a></figcaption></figure>52%
52% of advisors are using one or more search or generative AI tools, compared to only 41% in 2025.
Advisory community, T3 survey, 2026. Source: T3 and Inside Information.
41%
41% of advisors used one or more search or generative AI tools in 2025.
Advisory community, T3 survey, 2025. Source: T3 and Inside Information.
63%
63% of independent RIAs now use AI tools in some capacity, and adoption has more than doubled since 2023.
Schwab-custodied RIAs, Oct 2025. Source: Charles Schwab (Schwab Advisor Services) (vendor-run survey).
About 1 in 10
Of advisors that are using AI, only about one in ten are fully integrating AI into their business strategy.
AI users among Schwab-custodied RIAs, Oct 2025. Source: Charles Schwab (Schwab Advisor Services) (vendor-run survey).
68%
68% of firms report using AI in some way.
Schwab-custodied RIA firms, early 2025. Source: Charles Schwab (vendor-run survey).
20%
The share of surveyed advisors reporting no AI use fell from 33% in 2025 to 20% in 2026.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026. Source: Morningstar.
33%
33% of surveyed advisors reported no AI use in 2025.
US advisors, Morningstar, 2025. Source: Morningstar.
80%
80% of US advisors now use AI in some form, up from 67% a year earlier.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026. Source: InvestmentNews (reporting the Morningstar study).
85%
85% of advisors have adopted AI-integrated solutions within their practices to some degree.
US advisors (RIA and BD), AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026. Source: AssetMark (vendor-run survey).
91%
91% of RIAs have adopted AI-integrated solutions, compared with 81% of independent advisors affiliated with broker-dealers.
RIAs in the AssetMark sample, 2026. Source: AssetMark (vendor-run survey).
73%
Active use of AI tools jumped to 73% among employee advisors, up from 44% last year.
Employee advisors, J.D. Power 2026. Source: J.D. Power.
44%
44% of employee advisors actively used AI tools in the 2025 study.
Employee advisors, J.D. Power 2025. Source: J.D. Power.
42%
Adoption among independent advisors rose to 42%, up from 19% last year.
Independent BD advisors, J.D. Power 2026. Source: J.D. Power.
19%
19% of independent advisors actively used AI tools in the 2025 study.
Independent BD advisors, J.D. Power 2025. Source: J.D. Power.
42%
42% of bank advisors report current use of AI capabilities within their practice.
Bank advisors, Cerulli 2025. Source: Cerulli Associates.
77%
Bank advisor AI use is anticipated to increase to 77% within the next two years.
Bank advisors, Cerulli 2025. Source: Cerulli Associates.
56%
56% of private banks already use AI assistance to some degree.
Private banks, Cerulli 2025. Source: Cerulli Associates.
80%
80% of private banks anticipate integration of AI in the next two years.
Private banks, Cerulli 2025. Source: Cerulli Associates.
Which AI tools advisors use
In the 2026 T3/Inside Information survey, ChatGPT had the largest share among search and generative AI tools, followed by Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini. These are shares of the AI tools respondents use, not the percentage of advisors using each tool. AI notetakers were new to the survey and reached a 42.86% aggregate market share in their first year.
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<figure><a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/#t3-ai-market-share"><img src="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/t3-ai-market-share.svg" alt="Market share among search and generative AI tools. Share among AI tools used, not share of advisors. T3/Inside Information, 2026. ChatGPT: 40.92%; Microsoft Copilot: 20.51%; Google Gemini: 13.63%; Perplexity: 6.95%; Anthropic (Claude): 6.16%; Grok: 6.13%; Apple Intelligence: 1.34%. Source: T3 and Inside Information, 2026 T3/Inside Information Software Survey, initial findings (Business Wire release), published March 10, 2026. Chart: bestaiforadvisors.com." width="720" height="817" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption>Source: T3 and Inside Information. Chart: <a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/">State of AI in Wealth Management 2026, Best AI for Advisors</a></figcaption></figure>Our pages on these tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and the best general AI assistants for advisors. Notetakers we list: Jump, Zocks, Zeplyn, Finmate AI, GReminders, Mili, Fathom, Otter.ai, compared on best AI notetakers for advisors.
43%+
More than 43% of firms with more than $8 million in annual revenues were using AI notetakers, compared with 32% for the smallest firms in the survey.
Firms with $8M+ revenue, T3 2026. Source: T3 and Inside Information.
82%
82% of current AI users report relying on generative AI tools, most often through individual experimentation rather than firm-wide systems.
AI users among Schwab-custodied RIAs, Oct 2025. Source: Charles Schwab (Schwab Advisor Services) (vendor-run survey).
About 18%
About 18% of financial advisory teams have adopted AI meeting note tools so far.
Advisory teams, Kitces Research, 2025. Source: Kitces.
What advisors use AI for
Back-office work comes first in every survey: notes, emails, summaries and research. Each chart is a separate survey with its own question wording, so the bars can't be lined up across charts.
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<figure><a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/#schwab-ai-uses"><img src="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/schwab-ai-uses.svg" alt="What RIA firms use AI for. Schwab 2025 RIA Benchmarking Study, firms with $250M+ AUM, January to March 2025. Administrative support: 43%; Marketing content: 38%; Client correspondence: 31%; Research: 22%; Client education: 13%. Source: Charles Schwab, 2025 RIA Benchmarking Study, January to March 2025. Chart: bestaiforadvisors.com." width="720" height="606" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption>Source: Charles Schwab. Chart: <a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/">State of AI in Wealth Management 2026, Best AI for Advisors</a></figcaption></figure>
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<figure><a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/#morningstar-ai-uses"><img src="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/morningstar-ai-uses.svg" alt="What advisors use AI for. Morningstar 2026 advisor study as reported by InvestmentNews, July to August 2026. Internal tasks: 43%; Brainstorming: 36%; Research and due diligence: 35%; Client messaging: 33%. Source: InvestmentNews (reporting the Morningstar study), “Advisor AI use hits 80%, but client time still falls short”, July 21 to August 16, 2026. Chart: bestaiforadvisors.com." width="720" height="547" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption>Source: InvestmentNews (reporting the Morningstar study). Chart: <a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/">State of AI in Wealth Management 2026, Best AI for Advisors</a></figcaption></figure>
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<figure><a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/#assetmark-ai-uses"><img src="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/assetmark-ai-uses.svg" alt="What AI adopters use AI for. AssetMark 2026 Advisor Insights, AI adopters, June to July 2026. Meeting notes or summaries: 45%; Performance reports or dashboards: 43%; Summarizing research: 42%; Risk analysis: 42%; Workflows and scheduling: 40%. Source: AssetMark, 2026 Advisor Insights: Artificial Intelligence Report (press release), June 24 to July 7, 2026. Chart: bestaiforadvisors.com." width="720" height="583" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption>Source: AssetMark. Chart: <a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/">State of AI in Wealth Management 2026, Best AI for Advisors</a></figcaption></figure>43%
43% of firms use AI for administrative support, such as note taking, creating meetings or drafting emails.
Schwab-custodied RIA firms with $250M+ AUM, early 2025. Source: Charles Schwab (vendor-run survey).
38%
38% of firms use AI for generating marketing content.
Schwab-custodied RIA firms with $250M+ AUM, early 2025. Source: Charles Schwab (vendor-run survey).
31%
31% of firms use AI for developing client correspondence.
Schwab-custodied RIA firms with $250M+ AUM, early 2025. Source: Charles Schwab (vendor-run survey).
22%
22% of firms use AI for conducting research.
Schwab-custodied RIA firms with $250M+ AUM, early 2025. Source: Charles Schwab (vendor-run survey).
13%
13% of firms use AI for developing client education.
Schwab-custodied RIA firms with $250M+ AUM, early 2025. Source: Charles Schwab (vendor-run survey).
57%
57% say AI could improve the efficiency of client communications, such as summarizing notes and drafting follow-ups.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026. Source: Morningstar.
43%
43% use AI for internal tasks such as meeting summaries and email drafts.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026. Source: InvestmentNews (reporting the Morningstar study).
36%
36% use AI for brainstorming.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026. Source: InvestmentNews (reporting the Morningstar study).
35%
35% use AI for research and due diligence.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026. Source: InvestmentNews (reporting the Morningstar study).
33%
33% use AI for client messaging.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026. Source: InvestmentNews (reporting the Morningstar study).
45%
45% of AI adopters use AI to generate meeting notes or summaries.
AI adopters, AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026. Source: AssetMark (vendor-run survey).
43%
43% use AI to automate performance reports or dashboards.
AI adopters, AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026. Source: AssetMark (vendor-run survey).
42%
42% use AI to summarize research materials.
AI adopters, AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026. Source: AssetMark (vendor-run survey).
42%
42% use AI to run or monitor risk analysis.
AI adopters, AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026. Source: AssetMark (vendor-run survey).
40%
40% use AI to automate workflows and scheduling.
AI adopters, AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026. Source: AssetMark (vendor-run survey).
One-fifth
The most commonly supported function is reviewing client documents, with one-fifth of advisors currently using AI tools for this purpose.
Kitces.com advisor readers, spring 2025. Source: Kitces Research.
Time saved and results
AssetMark found that more than half of AI adopters save at least four hours a week. Morningstar found advisors still spend 53% of their week on client work against an ideal of 63%. J.D. Power found higher satisfaction among advisors whose firm-provided AI tools work well. To estimate your own numbers, try our AI ROI calculator or read how to measure AI ROI at an advisory firm.
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<figure><a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/#assetmark-time-saved"><img src="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/assetmark-time-saved.svg" alt="Weekly time saved by AI adopters. AssetMark 2026 Advisor Insights, AI adopters, June to July 2026. 4 to under 8 hours a week: 39%; 8 or more hours a week: 15%. Source: AssetMark, 2026 Advisor Insights: Artificial Intelligence Report (press release), June 24 to July 7, 2026. Chart: bestaiforadvisors.com." width="720" height="343" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption>Source: AssetMark. Chart: <a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/">State of AI in Wealth Management 2026, Best AI for Advisors</a></figcaption></figure>48%
48% said AI has significantly or moderately improved their day-to-day efficiency.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026. Source: Morningstar.
53%
Advisors devote 53% of their workweek to client-focused work but would ideally spend 63%.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026. Source: Morningstar.
56%
56% named too much administrative or operational work as a top barrier to delivering the service they want to provide.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026. Source: Morningstar.
39%
39% of AI adopters save four to less than eight hours a week.
AI adopters, AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026. Source: AssetMark (vendor-run survey).
15%
15% of AI adopters save eight hours or more a week.
AI adopters, AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026. Source: AssetMark (vendor-run survey).
More than half
More than half of advisors who have adopted AI report saving at least four hours each week.
AI adopters, AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026. Source: AssetMark (vendor-run survey).
781 and 826
Average satisfaction is 632 for employee advisors and 688 for independent advisors (1,000-point scale), rising to 781 and 826 among advisors who use AI tools provided by their firms and find them effective.
BD-affiliated advisors, J.D. Power, Dec 2025 to Apr 2026. Source: J.D. Power.
55%
55% of bank executives cite cost as the top factor holding their firm back from technology adoption.
Bank home-office executives, Cerulli 2025. Source: Cerulli Associates.
Sentiment and trust
Advisors are split but leaning positive, and few trust AI with investment decisions. The investor numbers come from a 2023 CFP Board survey, older than the rest, so read them as a 2023 snapshot.
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<figure><a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/#kitces-ai-sentiment"><img src="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/kitces-ai-sentiment.svg" alt="How advisors feel about AI. Kitces Research AdvisorTech study, 703 usable responses, March to April 2025. Optimistic: 38%; Moderate: 40%; Skeptical: 22%. Source: Kitces Research, The Kitces Report, Volume 1, 2025: The Technology That Independent Financial Advisors Actually Use (And Like), March 14 to April 28, 2025. Chart: bestaiforadvisors.com." width="720" height="467" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption>Source: Kitces Research. Chart: <a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/">State of AI in Wealth Management 2026, Best AI for Advisors</a></figcaption></figure>
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<figure><a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/#cfp-investor-ai-advice"><img src="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/cfp-investor-ai-advice.svg" alt="Investors comfortable acting on generative AI financial advice. CFP Board Consumer Sentiment Survey, 1,153 US adults, July 2023. Without verification: 31%; After a planner verifies it: 52%. Source: CFP Board, Consumer Sentiment Survey, “Trust, But Verify”, July 11, 2023. Chart: bestaiforadvisors.com." width="720" height="373" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption>Source: CFP Board. Chart: <a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/">State of AI in Wealth Management 2026, Best AI for Advisors</a></figcaption></figure>59%
59% believe AI will have a direct, measurable impact on client relationships within the next year.
Schwab-custodied RIAs, Oct 2025. Source: Charles Schwab (Schwab Advisor Services) (vendor-run survey).
68%
68% expect AI to be transformative to the future of financial advice within three years.
Schwab-custodied RIAs, Oct 2025. Source: Charles Schwab (Schwab Advisor Services) (vendor-run survey).
18%
Only 18% rated AI tools as highly reliable for investment recommendations or portfolio decisions.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026. Source: Morningstar.
42%
42% of advisors see AI as a help to their practice (33% last year), 19% view it as a threat and 39% are on the fence.
US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026. Source: InvestmentNews (reporting the Morningstar study).
80%
80% expect their use of AI to increase over the next 12 months.
US advisors (RIA and BD), AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026. Source: AssetMark (vendor-run survey).
38%
38% of advisors are optimistic about AI use, 22% skeptical, and the remaining 40% more moderate.
Kitces.com advisor readers, spring 2025. Source: Kitces Research.
40%
40% of advisors are moderate about AI use.
Kitces.com advisor readers, spring 2025. Source: Kitces Research.
22%
22% of advisors are skeptical about AI use.
Kitces.com advisor readers, spring 2025. Source: Kitces Research.
57%
Most advisors expect AI to expedite (57%) or help them initiate (15%) key tasks, while just 28% are looking to AI to fully automate tasks.
Kitces.com advisor readers, spring 2025. Source: Kitces Research.
31%
31% of investors report feeling comfortable implementing financial planning advice from a generative AI tool without verifying it with another source.
US adults, CFP Board, July 2023. Source: CFP Board.
52%
Once advice from a generative AI tool has been verified by a financial planner, 52% of investors are comfortable acting on it.
US adults, CFP Board, July 2023. Source: CFP Board.
51%
51% of investors have little to no trust in financial planning advice from generative AI tools, versus 71% for advice from social media.
US adults, CFP Board, July 2023. Source: CFP Board.
What AI tools for advisors cost
This part is our own data. We read the pricing page of every tool in our directory. As of October 21, 2026, 41 of 65 tools (63%) publish prices and 24 ask you to contact the vendor. 23 of 65 state a free plan or free trial on their own site. Among tools that publish prices, the lowest listed monthly price runs from $4.99 to $499.58, with a median of $69.
Read the prices with care. The “lowest listed monthly price” is the smallest per-month figure a vendor publishes. Units differ: per user, per advisor or per firm, billed monthly or yearly. It's a rough entry-price guide, not a like-for-like comparison and not an average cost.
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<figure><a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/#directory-published-prices"><img src="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/directory-published-prices.svg" alt="How many of 65 AI tools for advisors publish their prices. 41 publish prices, 24 say “contact vendor”. Tools per category, Best AI for Advisors directory, October 21, 2026. General AI assistants: 4 publish prices, 0 contact vendor; Meeting notes & CRM notes: 7 publish prices, 1 contact vendor; CRM & client follow-up: 5 publish prices, 2 contact vendor; Financial planning software: 4 publish prices, 3 contact vendor; Portfolio analytics & proposals: 3 publish prices, 6 contact vendor; Compliance & marketing review: 0 publish prices, 5 contact vendor; Client communication & email: 2 publish prices, 2 contact vendor; Social media & content marketing: 6 publish prices, 0 contact vendor; Prospecting & lead gen: 4 publish prices, 1 contact vendor; Tax return & document analysis: 4 publish prices, 3 contact vendor; Advisor websites: 2 publish prices, 1 contact vendor. Source: Best AI for Advisors directory, vendor pricing pages as of October 21, 2026. Chart: bestaiforadvisors.com." width="720" height="1526" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption>Source: Best AI for Advisors directory, prices as of October 21, 2026. Chart: <a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/">State of AI in Wealth Management 2026, Best AI for Advisors</a></figcaption></figure>
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<figure><a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/#directory-price-bands"><img src="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/directory-price-bands.svg" alt="Lowest listed monthly price, tools that publish prices. 41 tools. Rough entry-price guide only: units differ (per user, per advisor, per firm, billed monthly or yearly). October 21, 2026. $1 to $25: 11 tools; $26 to $75: 11 tools; $76 to $150: 12 tools; $151 to $300: 5 tools; Over $300: 2 tools. Source: Best AI for Advisors directory, vendor pricing pages as of October 21, 2026. Chart: bestaiforadvisors.com." width="720" height="636" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption>Source: Best AI for Advisors directory, prices as of October 21, 2026. Chart: <a href="https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/">State of AI in Wealth Management 2026, Best AI for Advisors</a></figcaption></figure>| Category | Tools | Publish prices | Contact vendor | Free plan or trial | Median lowest monthly price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General AI assistants | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | $12.50 |
| Meeting notes & CRM notes | 8 | 7 | 1 | 6 | $60 |
| CRM & client follow-up | 7 | 5 | 2 | 3 | $90 |
| Financial planning software | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | $157.89 |
| Portfolio analytics & proposals | 9 | 3 | 6 | 1 | $195 |
| Compliance & marketing review | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | n/a (no published prices) |
| Client communication & email | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | $55.50 |
| Social media & content marketing | 6 | 6 | 0 | 5 | $15.25 |
| Prospecting & lead gen | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | $94.50 |
| Tax return & document analysis | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | $67.46 |
| Advisor websites | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | $89 |
Source: vendor pricing pages, as of October 21, 2026. See every price on our pricing pages.
What this means for firms
Our editorial view These takeaways are our opinion, built on the numbers above. Check anything that affects compliance with your firm's compliance team.
1. Write the AI policy before use spreads further.
Schwab found most generative AI use is individual experimentation, and only about one in ten AI users fully integrate it. Start with our AI policy guide and the free AI policy template. See the stat
2. Vet notetakers like any vendor that touches client data.
Notetakers went from one product to 14 in the T3 survey in a year. Use our AI vendor due diligence checklist. See the stat
3. Decide how AI notes and chats are kept.
Meeting notes are the top use among AssetMark's AI adopters. Read recordkeeping for AI chats and notetakers. See the stat
4. Keep a human review on AI marketing content.
38% of Schwab-custodied firms with $250M+ in AUM use AI for marketing content. See the SEC Marketing Rule and AI content. See the stat
5. Use AI to prepare reviews, not to make the call.
Only 18% of advisors in Morningstar's study rate AI as highly reliable for investment decisions. Our client review workflow keeps the advisor in charge. See the stat
6. Measure the hours, then decide what to do with them.
Morningstar's advisors spend 53% of their week on client work and want 63%, a gap Morningstar puts at about four hours in a 40-hour week. Track time saved with the ROI calculator, and if the goal is growth, see AI for prospecting. See the stat
Methodology and sources
We included public surveys with a named publisher, a stated sample or population, and a date. Every number was read on the publisher's own page on October 23, 2026. Where a number appears only in press coverage of a study, we cite that coverage and say so.
We left out numbers we couldn't trace to the publisher, surveys with no stated sample or date, and any statistic we would have had to calculate from someone else's data. We don't average or combine surveys. Several sources are run by firms that sell to advisors; they're marked “vendor-run” so you can weigh them.
We update this report when a source publishes new data. Last updated October 23, 2026. Directory numbers update automatically when our pricing data changes.
| Publisher and title | Population | Sample | Field dates | Published | Vendor-run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T3 and Inside Information2026 T3/Inside Information Software Survey, initial findings (Business Wire release) | Members of the financial planning and investment advisory community | 2,906 responses (2,218 in 2025) | Not stated in the release | March 10, 2026 | No |
| Charles Schwab (Schwab Advisor Services)RIA and AI Research Study, “Schwab Study Reveals RIA AI Adoption More Than Doubles” | Advisors who custody at Schwab | 533 advisors, online, conducted by Logica Research | October 7 to 26, 2025 | January 22, 2026 | Yes |
| Charles Schwab2025 RIA Benchmarking Study | RIA firms that custody with Schwab (use cases: firms with $250 million or more in AUM) | 1,288 firms, self-reported | January to March 2025 | 2025 | Yes |
| Morningstar2026 Morningstar Investor Perspectives Advisor study (press release) | US advisors across broker-dealers, RIAs, wirehouses, insurance BDs and financial institutions | 501 online responses | July 21 to August 16, 2026 | October 5, 2026 | No |
| InvestmentNews (reporting the Morningstar study)“Advisor AI use hits 80%, but client time still falls short” | Same Morningstar sample as S4 | 501 online responses (Morningstar) | July 21 to August 16, 2026 | October 5, 2026 | No |
| AssetMark2026 Advisor Insights: Artificial Intelligence Report (press release) | US financial advisors: 152 RIAs and 248 independent advisors affiliated with broker-dealers; existing AssetMark clients excluded | 400 advisors, online, margin of error ±4.9 points | June 24 to July 7, 2026 | September 15, 2026 | Yes |
| J.D. Power2026 U.S. Financial Advisor Satisfaction Study | Employee advisors and independent advisors affiliated with a broker-dealer | 4,503 advisors | December 2025 to April 2026 | July 9, 2026 | No |
| Cerulli Associates“77% of Bank Advisors Plan to Incorporate AI into Their Practice” (The Cerulli Report, U.S. Private Banks and Trust Companies 2025) | Bank advisors and bank home-office executives | Not stated in the release | Not stated in the release | September 4, 2025 | No |
| Kitces ResearchThe Kitces Report, Volume 1, 2025: The Technology That Independent Financial Advisors Actually Use (And Like) | Kitces.com readers who lead or support client relationships (59% RIA-only) | 703 usable responses (nearly 1,400 started) | March 14 to April 28, 2025 | 2025 | No |
| KitcesThe Latest in Financial #AdvisorTech (April 2025) | Financial advisory teams (Kitces Research on the Financial Planning Process) | Not stated in the article | Not stated in the article | April 2025 | No |
| CFP BoardConsumer Sentiment Survey, “Trust, But Verify” | US adults (investors) | 1,153 adults, online, ±3 points | July 11, 2023 | August 22, 2023 | No |
How to cite and reuse
Suggested citation:
Best AI for Advisors, “State of AI in Wealth Management 2026,” October 23, 2026, https://bestaiforadvisors.com/reports/state-of-ai-advisors-2026/
When you quote a survey number, please name the original publisher too. Each stat above has its own “Copy citation” button that does this for you, and each chart has an embed code.
Reuse
You may embed or reproduce our charts and directory data with credit and a link to this page.
All key stats as plain text
52%: 52% of advisors are using one or more search or generative AI tools, compared to only 41% in 2025. (T3 and Inside Information; Advisory community, T3 survey, 2026) 63%: 63% of independent RIAs now use AI tools in some capacity, and adoption has more than doubled since 2023. (Charles Schwab (Schwab Advisor Services); Schwab-custodied RIAs, Oct 2025) 20%: The share of surveyed advisors reporting no AI use fell from 33% in 2025 to 20% in 2026. (Morningstar; US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026) 85%: 85% of advisors have adopted AI-integrated solutions within their practices to some degree. (AssetMark; US advisors (RIA and BD), AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026) 73%: Active use of AI tools jumped to 73% among employee advisors, up from 44% last year. (J.D. Power; Employee advisors, J.D. Power 2026) 40.92%: ChatGPT holds the largest market share among search and generative AI tools (40.92%). (T3 and Inside Information; Share among AI tools used, T3 2026) 42.86%: The survey identified 14 AI notetaking solutions, up from one the year before, and their aggregate market share reached 42.86%. (T3 and Inside Information; Advisory community, T3 survey, 2026) More than half: More than half of advisors who have adopted AI report saving at least four hours each week. (AssetMark; AI adopters, AssetMark, Jun to Jul 2026) 18%: Only 18% rated AI tools as highly reliable for investment recommendations or portfolio decisions. (Morningstar; US advisors, Morningstar, Jul to Aug 2026) 31%: 31% of investors report feeling comfortable implementing financial planning advice from a generative AI tool without verifying it with another source. (CFP Board; US adults, CFP Board, July 2023) 41 of 65: AI tools in our directory that publish prices (Best AI for Advisors, October 21, 2026)
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