AI adoption has passed a definitive tipping point in the investment sector, according to BridgeWise’s inaugural State of AI for Wealth in 2026 report.
The report – surveying 2 100 respondents across 19 countries – says 78,3% are already using AI tools for investment-related queries, with nearly half (45,7%) emerging as power users and consulting AI “always” or “often” when seeking investment information; and with 10,7% using it for every investment query.
The data reveals a redrawn global map where institutions in even the most highly regulated financial markets must move quickly to keep pace with existing demand and user expectations.
The report also introduces the Global Wealth AI Optimism Index, a proprietary benchmark that evaluates the 19 included countries through four weighted pillars: Adoption (AI usage frequency), Confidence (trust in AI accuracy), Edge (perceived competitive advantage when using AI for investing), and Momentum (intent to replace traditional investment research with AI).
The Middle East emerged as the top-ranked region globally, coming ahead of APAC, North America, and Europe in both current adoption rates and future momentum. LATAM also outperformed these established markets, ranking first in the world for reported confidence and the belief that AI provides a definitive strategic “edge”.
The data from the landmark study further identifies a significant market opportunity among what it terms the “Untapped Believers”. Approximately 29,3% of respondents who currently do not use AI for investment research report that they already trust its accuracy. This finding suggests that for a large segment of the market, the primary barrier to entry is a lack of accessible tools and clear entry points within the wealth ecosystem rather than fundamental skepticism.
Looking ahead, the State of AI for Wealth in 2026 identifies a “Great Research Migration”, as 65,1% of respondents indicate they are likely to replace manual investment research with AI-driven tools in the coming year. This shift is particularly pronounced among younger users, with 57,8% of respondents aged 18 to 35 already identifying as frequent AI users compared to only 26,9% of those over age 50.
“The competitive divide in wealth management will no longer run between humans and machines,” says Gaby Diamant, CEO of BridgeWise. “It will run between those who have access to specialised, wealth-native intelligence that surfaces opportunities invisible to generic AI engines, and those still navigating an increasingly complex global market with tools that were not built for it.
“The data from this study confirms the demand is already there,” Diamant adds. “The mandate now is to meet it with AI that is explainable, accurate, and purpose-built for finance from the ground up.”