Advisers Planning to Increase Technology, AI Usage and Spend

According to advisers surveyed by Orion, disconnected technology is their primary technology-related pain point—for the second year in a row.

In 2025, advisers will continue to use and implement artificial intelligence-powered tools and invest in technology, according to Orion’s annual Advisor Wealthtech Survey.

Two-thirds (68%) of advisers currently use AI-powered tools, and nearly half (43%) of those plan to increase their AI investments in 2025, according to the survey of 585 advisers.

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Besides AI, advisers are making moves to improve their technology solutions—and usage. More than half (54%) of advisers plan to increase their investment in technology in 2025—by an average of 19%.

On average, advisers are utilizing 60% of their tech stack, and 38% are focused on improving tech stack utilization this year.

Firms are likely investing more in integrated technology workflows to address disconnected solutions, which advisers identified as their primary technology-related pain point for the second year in a row. On average, advisers say 55% of their technology is integrated. More than four in 10 (42%) expect to invest more in integrated technology workflows in 2025.

Half of advisers reported expecting their organic growth rate to increase in 2025 from 2024, with half of advisers (51%) saying time constraints are the largest barriers to their firm’s growth. This group split on what was the biggest time constraint: 19% of advisers said they are challenged to free up time to spend on business development, 18% noted they spend too much time on internal tasks and 14% said they spend too much time on smaller accounts.

In order to continue to build strong growth, more than four in five advisers (84%) plan to focus on providing personalized financial advice tailored to clients’ unique needs and goals.

“As the industry faces economic policy and market uncertainties in 2025, advisers are fully committed to their clients’ success,” said Natalie Wolfsen, Orion’s CEO, in a statement. “Advisers are not just meeting the demands of their clients; they are going ‘all in’ by focusing on highly personalized service and solutions, investing in integrated technology, and optimizing their back office to free up time.”

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