AI Unite
Suggest a report
Charles Schwab · January 2026

2026 RIA & AI Research Study: Advisor AI in Action

Charles Schwab's 2026 RIA & AI Research Study: Advisor AI in Action (January 2026; n=533, fielded Oct 7–26, 2025) found that ~10% of advisors using AI have fully integrated it into their business strategy.

Read the original report ↗Cite2 min read · Summary updated
Nearly half of RIAs have taken no leadership action on AIPercent of RIA advisors citing each action taken for AI adoption, 2025 (multiple responses)
None of the above
48%
Identified AI champions or subject matter experts
19%
Communicated an AI vision to the firm
18%
Senior leaders have modeled AI usage
16%
Provided AI training
13%
Hired an employee to focus specifically on AI
3%
Source: Charles Schwab, Schwab Advisor AI in Action: AI’s transformative impact on RIAs, 2026, p. 7.

Key findings

  1. 01
    63% of RIAs now use AI tools in some capacity, and 82% of those users rely on generative AI.
  2. 02
    About 10% of advisors using AI have fully integrated it into their business strategy.
  3. 03
    68% expect AI to be transformative to financial advice within three years.

By the numbers

~10%of advisors using AI have fully integrated it into their business strategy
48%of RIAs have taken none of the listed leadership actions for AI adoption, such as naming champions or setting a vision
9%of advisors using AI use AI agents; 28% are considering them
Advisors see the biggest AI opportunity in administrative efficiencyPercent of RIA advisors naming each area as the biggest opportunity for AI, 2025
Administrative and workflow efficiency
54%
Client management
17%
Marketing and communication
10%
Research
8%
Financial analysis and trading
7%
Compliance
5%
Source: Charles Schwab, Schwab Advisor AI in Action: AI’s transformative impact on RIAs, 2026, p. 13.

What it means for you Draft

For executives at $10–100M companies

Another example of wide use and shallow integration in a relationship-driven services business. For firms our size, it suggests the competitive window is still open: few peers have gone beyond notetaking and email drafting.

Limitations

Medium trust.Independent research firm fielded it with transparent dates; sample limited to Schwab-custodied advisors; Schwab is not an AI vendor.

The headline figure measures the “In core work” stage of adoption (running in key processes).Why adoption numbers disagree

Cite the original

Charles Schwab. "2026 RIA & AI Research Study: Advisor AI in Action." January 22, 2026. https://pressroom.aboutschwab.com/press-releases/press-release/2026/Schwab-Study-Reveals-RIA-AI-Adoption-More-Than-Doubles---But-Most-Firms-Still-in-Early-Stages/default.aspx

Related reports

Schwab · Jul 20262026 RIA Benchmarking StudyTop Performing Firms use AI to automate time-consuming, manual workflows 31% of the time versus 19% for other firms.CPA.com · Jun 2026AI Tax Research Solution Outlook Report 202660% use AI for tax research at least weekly, nearly double the 33% reported in 2025.Deltek · May 202647th Annual Deltek Clarity Architecture & Engineering Industry StudyAI adoption among A&E firms rose from 53% to 70% year over year; generative AI use rose from 64% to 78%.