InspereX Survey Reveals Financial Advisors View AI as Competitive Edge

According to the Spring 2026 InspereX Pulse Survey of 783 financial advisors, 78% said advisors who do not adopt AI tools in their practice over the next 3-5 years will be at a competitive disadvantage. Further, 68% said advisors who embrace AI will outperform firms relying solely on traditional methods and tools. The vast majority (84%) of advisors said AI will change how they operate their practices with 63% even noting that it will allow smaller advisory practices to compete with much larger firms.

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The majority (70%) said they’re actively using at least one AI tool in their practice right now. But that number jumps to 84% when looking at the high AUM ($351M+) advisors. This segment of advisors also has stronger, more definitive views on the impact of AI on competitiveness. AI adoption drops significantly from the youngest to oldest advisors, with 84% of advisors aged 22-35 embracing AI tools compared to 51% of advisors aged 64-77.

Advisors appreciate the disruption presented by AI; 64% said AI will have as much impact on financial advice as the internet did. They also acknowledge that AI will alter how they are evaluated, with 65% saying AI will play an important role in how future clients evaluate financial advisors.

Further, advisors think AI can serve as a boost to their businesses, with 74% saying new technologies will affect an advisor’s ability to attract and retain next-generation clients. In addition, 76% said advisors who use AI will be able to service more clients without increasing staff. Advisors will also look to elevate their level of service, with 59% saying clients will increasingly expect faster, more personalized service made possible by AI.

“The future of financial advice has arrived,” said Chris Mee, Managing Director at InspereX. “However, despite the power, evolution and understandable enthusiasm around these technologies, advisors are not being replaced by AI. Rather, they are using these tools to make their practices more efficient and to streamline tedious administrative work so they can focus on higher impact client interactions, which will elevate their value and enable advisors to scale personalized advice.”

AI in Practice

Among AI users, advisors are driving efficiencies across their practices and are experiencing gains in the following areas:

• Research and insights (74%)
• Client communication and follow up (73%)
• Meeting preparation and documentation (72%)
• Planning and proposal drafting (56%)
• Marketing and content creation (52%)
• Back-office tasks and operations (43%)

When it comes to tasks advisors would never delegate to AI, they said:

• Product selection (26%)
• Portfolio recommendations (23%)
• Suitability-related analysis (20%)
• Meeting summaries/notes (6%)

Advisors also understand the need to embrace and evolve with new technology, with 81% saying they “disagree” or “strongly disagree” with the notion of not having to learn AI tools given their tenure in the industry. However, 13% of advisors said they feel apprehensive about learning AI at this stage of their career.

“Our data is clear: advisors who embrace AI are positioning themselves for growth and long-term success, while those who are slower to adopt new tools risk being left behind,” Mee added. “Greater adoption, and broader usage, will help them in the long run to deepen client relationships and deliver that human touch and expertise that creates investor confidence. Advisors who achieve this balance by embracing AI will be ready to seize the opportunity ahead.”

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