On March 12, the Financial Communications Society (FCS) partnered with Financial Planning, an Arizent brand, for a virtual event exploring new research on how financial advisors are approaching artificial intelligence and what it means for firms serving the advisor market.
The session featured Janet King, Senior Vice President of Content Strategy at Financial Planning, and Michael Moeser, Senior Content Marketing Strategist at Financial Planning, who presented findings from a survey of 250 financial advisors and registered investment advisors examining AI adoption, technology priorities and organizational readiness.
The research highlights how quickly AI is moving from experimentation to strategic discussion across the wealth management industry. Advisors identified AI-based portfolio recommendations and generative AI among the technologies most likely to transform financial planning in the coming year.
At the same time, adoption remains uneven. While many firms are actively exploring AI to support client communications, marketing, onboarding and operational efficiency, a significant trust gap remains around AI-driven investment decisions. Sixty-five percent of advisors reported moderate or significant risk associated with using AI to guide investment decisions, reinforcing the continued importance of human oversight and fiduciary responsibility.
For companies developing technology and services for financial advisors, the findings offer valuable insight into how advisors evaluate emerging technologies, where they see the most immediate value and where concerns remain.
Financial Planning continues to examine the trends shaping advisor technology adoption and welcomes conversations with firms interested in understanding how advisors are evaluating AI and other innovations transforming the wealth management landscape.
