Younger Investors Want AI-Savvy Advisors — But Still Prefer Human Guidance
Younger Americans want advisors who can wield artificial intelligence, yet they still prefer a human to lead the planning and investment process; that is the message from new research summarized by InvestmentNews and supported by fresh survey data. Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning and Progress Study found that a majority of respondents trust people over machines for core tasks such as building retirement plans and managing portfolios, with 53 percent choosing human advisors versus 15 percent choosing AI when asked who should develop a tailored plan; at the same time 47 percent of Americans, and 54 percent of Gen Z and Millennial respondents, said they would rather work with an advisor who understands and uses AI. The study surveyed 4,626 U.S. adults online from January 2 to January 19, 2025, with results weighted to national demographics.
Other reports point in the same direction. A CFP Board analysis found younger adults nearly twice as likely as older adults to trust financial advice from AI, 44 percent versus 26 percent, yet most still want an advisor to verify recommendations before acting; the CFA Institute reported strong industry appetite for AI along with calls for standards and upskilling, indicating that professional use is growing but must be governed; consulting firms such as Accenture describe a hybrid future in which generative AI personalizes at scale while deepening trust when embedded in advisor workflows rather than replacing human judgment.
The implications for wealth management are clear. The human relationship remains the anchor, as trust, empathy, and accountability continue to drive client decisions even among digital native investors; AI capability has become a client expectation, especially for younger cohorts, which means advisors should be ready to explain how AI supports scenario modeling, documentation, surveillance for fraud, and research, and where human judgment sets the guardrails; governance will matter as adoption spreads, since responsible use, oversight, and disclosure will be essential to maintain trust and satisfy regulators.
Firms can respond by documenting how AI informs analyses and how people review those outputs, a practice that builds transparency and matches survey preferences for human verified guidance; advisors can meet younger clients where they are by discussing how AI fits into planning while setting clear expectations about the roles that only humans can play; organizations can invest in skills and controls so teams use AI responsibly, protecting client confidence while capturing the efficiencies the technology promises.
Sources: InvestmentNews: “Younger Americans want advisors who know AI — but still want the human touch,” Aug. 6, 2025. (InvestmentNews), Northwestern Mutual press release: 2025 Planning & Progress Study toplines (methodology and percentages), Aug. 5, 2025. (Newsroom | Northwestern Mutual), CFP Board: “Bad Online Advice Leads Majority of Americans to Make Regrettable Financial Decisions,” June 10, 2025 (generational views on AI & advisor verification). (CFP Board), CFA Institute: “AI in the Investment Sector: Survey” (need for standards & upskilling), 2024. (CFA Institute), MoneyWeek, Kiplinger, InvestopediaThis article is provided for industry awareness and does not constitute legal or investment advice.