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Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving at a breakneck pace and that rapid evolution has this disruptive technology permeating a slew of industries, including wealth management.
On that note, it’s safe to say advisors’ relationship with AI is also evolving. There was a time, actually just a few years ago, when advisors fretted that AI would displace them. However, AI has actually worked in advisors’ favor on that front because with the technology so prevalent in other walks of life, clients increasingly want and demand the human touch.
The intersection of AI and wealth management is evolving in other ways. Notably, more practices are getting hip to the fact that in this day and age, some form of AI embrace is necessary to keep practices on the cutting edge. Put simply, advisors that aren’t adequately leveraging technology risk low conversion rates and client departures.
On the bright side, data confirm that the advisors widely embracing AI are apt to be more loyal and satisfied while delivering superior client experiences.
AI Can Be a Force for Good for Advisors
For advisors, findings in the newly published JD Power 2026 U.S. Financial Advisor Satisfaction Study may be illuminating. The survey notes that employee advisors’ use of various AI tools grew to 73% over the past year from 44%, but there’s more room for growth among independents – a cohort where AI usage is 42%, though an impressive uptick from 19% in 2025.
Importantly, AI is playing a key role in advisor satisfaction, implying that access to related tools contributes to employee advisors’ firm loyalty.
“The average overall satisfaction score for employee advisors is 632 (on a 1,000-point scale) and the average score for independent advisors is 688,” notes JD Power. “Those scores jump to 781 among employee advisors and 826 among independent advisors when they use AI tools provided by their firms and find them to be effective. Advisors actively seeing benefits from AI are also significantly more likely to stay loyal to their current firm and to agree that their firm gives them the opportunity to grow income over time.”
Advisors are already aware that technology is an essential part of their practices, but the JD Power study reveals another important point: AI usage improves outcomes.
“Advisors who rate their firm’s AI tools as ‘very effective’ consistently report stronger outcomes and a shift in how they spend their time, with more time devoted to client meetings, client service and new business growth,” observes JD Power. “Keys to ‘very effective’ AI deployments include well managed technology rollouts, proactive advisor communications and effective training.”
What Firms Score Well in Overall Satisfaction
As the name of the survey implies, the JD Power study is a broader look at overall advisor satisfaction, not one devoted solely to AI. So the following is likely of interest to both employee advisors and their independent counterparts.
For the fourth straight year, Stifel ranked highest in overall satisfaction among employee advisors. Raymond James & Associates and Edward Jones placed second and third, respectively.
“Among independent advisors, Commonwealth ranks highest in overall satisfaction for a 13th consecutive year, with a score of 790. LPL Financial (744) ranks second and Raymond James Financial Services (720) ranks third,” concludes JD Power.
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