AI Adoption Brings Client, Adviser Returns, per Studies

While the adoption of technology for adviser practices is nothing new for firms, most advisers are starting to see the returns on their investments in artificial intelligence.

According to research by Edward D. Jones & Co. L.P. and Morning Consult Holdings Inc., 82% of advisers said they are already using AI tools in their practice, and 69% said AI has had a positive impact on the industry.

Separately, JD Power’s 2026 U.S. Financial Advisor Satisfaction Study found that advisers increased their use of artificial intelligence in the last year. Currently, 73% of employee advisers are actively using the technology, up from 44% last year. Adoption among independent advisers also jumped to 42% from 19% last year.

The increased use of AI mirrors broader investment trends across the financial services sector. According to Research and Markets Ltd.’s “Generative AI in Financial Services Market Report 2026,” AI within the financial services industry has grown “exponentially” in the last year, increasing to $2.48 billion in 2026 from $1.89 billion in 2025.

Looking to 2030, the Research and Markets report predicted the market will nearly triple to $7.24 billion, driven by developments of personalized financial products being integrated with AI, predictive risk-management solutions and AI-powered forecasting tools.

Technology Expanding Human Role

While it may not seem like technology would bring people together, surveyed advisers shared that AI was enhancing their interpersonal work.

The Edward Jones study, which surveyed 201 financial advisers from May 15 through May 27, found that 53% of respondents said they use AI to focus on higher-value client work. The findings showed that advisers were using AI for tasks that are easily automated, making the trade-off so advisers can focus on the personable aspects.

“Financial advisers are embracing AI as a tool that frees them to do more of what only humans can do,” wrote Jason Henderson, an Edward Jones principal of financial adviser growth and innovation, in an email to PLANADVISER. “Rather than replacing human judgment, AI handles the routine—scheduling, meeting preparation, client follow-ups—so advisers arrive at conversations with more capacity for the complex.”

When Edward Jones asked advisers what they used AI for, 59% said they automated administrative work like scheduling, calendar management and meeting preparation. Fifty-three percent said they were using it to draft routine client emails and follow-ups.

This year’s JD Power survey, which included responses from 4,503 employee and independent financial advisers surveyed from December 2025 through April 2026, found that advisers’ satisfaction with AI tools increased when their firms provided effective apps.

The average overall satisfaction score for employee advisers who used nonproprietary AI tools at work was reportedly 632 out of 1,000 and 688 for independent advisers. When they used proprietary AI tools, the scores increased to 781 for employee advisers and 826 among independent advisers.

“We’re now seeing AI move beyond the buzz and start to fundamentally change how advisers manage their practices and evaluate their firms’ ability to support their continued growth,” said Mike Foy, the managing director of JD Power’s wealth management practice, in a statement.

AI’s Effect on Clients

In addition to AI enhancing advisers’ practice, Edward Jones’ survey also reported a positive impact on client attitudes.

According to the survey, client access to technology has changed client-adviser relationship dynamics, with 38% of advisers sharing that clients were comparing advice they received to what they found online or through AI tools.

“Clients are arriving at conversations far better prepared,” Henderson wrote. “They’ve done their own research, they’ve engaged with digital tools, and they come with sharper, more complex questions. What they’re looking for from their adviser isn’t the information itself — they want judgment, context and the kind of trust that technology alone can’t provide. That shift is actually expanding the adviser’s value.”