UK wealth management professionals are embracing AI faster than their global peers, but UK investors appear considerably more cautious about its role in managing their wealth, according to new research from Avaloq, a global leader in wealth management technology and services.

Avaloq’s research, conducted among 480 wealth management professionals and 4,256 investors globally, finds over nine in ten (93%) UK wealth management professionals now expect AI to become integral to their work within the next two years, up from 87% in 2025 and well ahead of the global average of 84%. Confidence in the benefits of the technology is also growing, with 90% saying AI will benefit the wealth management industry. This is up from 82% in 2025 and notably higher than the global average of 76%.

However, while UK wealth managers are ahead of the global curve on AI, their clients appear to be more cautious. Just 43% say they would feel comfortable with AI assisting a human adviser in providing investment advice, compared with 52% globally. Almost half (48%) would prefer no AI involvement in investment advice at all, versus 34% globally.

More broadly, only 42% of UK investors say they are comfortable with their bank or wealth manager using AI, compared with 50% globally. More than a quarter (27%) say they feel uncomfortable with its use, a higher proportion than the global average of 19%.

While UK wealth management professionals display particularly strong enthusiasm for AI, the UK also trails leading global wealth management markets on broader digital adoption. Earlier this year, Avaloq launched the Wealth Management Index, benchmarking 15 markets across the conditions supporting successful wealth management. Its technology and digital adoption pillar found that the UK has room to strengthen its digital foundations compared with leading markets such as the US, Singapore and the UAE, assessing factors including digital skills, cybersecurity readiness and emerging technology adoption.

Suman Rao, Managing Director for the UK and Ireland at Avaloq, says: “AI is rapidly moving from an emerging technology to something UK wealth management professionals expect to become a fundamental part of how they work. However, enthusiasm within the industry needs to be balanced with how clients feel about the use of the technology.”

“Our survey findings show that many investors remain cautious about the use of AI in managing their wealth, particularly when it comes to decisions as important and personal as where their money is invested. Building confidence will require firms to be transparent about where and how AI is being used, while keeping human judgement and expertise at the centre of the client relationship.”

“At the same time, enthusiasm needs to be matched by readiness. As our Wealth Management Index shows, the UK still has room to strengthen the wider digital foundations that will support the next generation of wealth management. For firms, that means building the technology, data and skills needed to deploy AI effectively, while ensuring it ultimately delivers tangible benefits for advisers and their clients.”