AI Reshapes Financial Adviser-Client Trends
New research from the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) reveals how artificial intelligence is reshaping the adviser-client relationship in financial planning. The report, 2026 Impact of AI on Financial Planning, documents a significant shift in which clients are increasingly bringing AI-generated research to their meetings, prompting them to ask advisers to validate or interpret the information they have gathered independently.
Changing Role of Advisers
The adviser’s traditional role, where they provided clients with their own financial insights, is evolving into one focused on interpreting client-provided AI data. According to the FPSB report, 25 percent of financial planners observed clients using AI to verify or compare professional advice.
Some 21 percent of planners report that clients’ use of AI has increased their need to contextualize or correct AI-generated content, while 19 percent note more collaborative discussions with clients. This suggests advisers are becoming facilitators who help clients make sense of AI information rather than being the sole sources of expertise in the process.
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Client Adoption of AI Tools
Research by Praemium, conducted with CoreData, supports these findings. It found that 80 percent of high-net-worth investors using financial advisers are already employing AI for financial tasks. These include general financial education (50 percent), comparing investment strategies (46 percent), and “sense-checking” professional advice (35 percent).
Optimism About AI’s Potential
Despite concerns, advisers surveyed by the FPSB expressed optimism about AI’s benefits. Three-quarters believe AI will improve the quality of advice, up from 60 percent in 2025. Additionally, 83 percent expect AI to enhance client service, and 68 percent anticipate lower advice costs, both figures rising from previous years. This optimism reflects a belief in AI’s capacity to complement human expertise rather than replace it entirely.
The FPSB encouraged clients to mention AI-generated content they used to inform financial decisions, arguing this is the best way to make sure the information is relevant to specific circumstances. “Technology alone cannot replace the judgment, ethical responsibility, and human understanding that financial planning professionals can deliver,” said FPSB CEO Dante De Gori. He emphasized that certified financial planners can help clients convert AI-generated data into plans reflecting their goals, values, and real-world situations.
