How do top RIAs use AI in 2026

The top-performing RIAs in 2026 treat AI as infrastructure, not a tool — they have a clear AI strategy set by leadership, they install custom systems instead of stacking SaaS, and they put AI on back-office work first. The Schwab January 2026 RIA AI study found that 63% of advisors are using AI but most are still experimenting; the gap between leaders and laggards is widening fast.

What leaders do differently

• Leadership sets the AI vision. The principal models usage publicly, sets a clear strategy, and reskills the team. (This is the #1 differentiator in the Schwab 2026 study.)
• Custom installs, not SaaS stacks. Leaders build a brain that knows their firm. Laggards keep adding subscriptions.
• Back office first. Meeting prep, content, lead scoring, compliance — not chatbots talking to clients.
• Documented AI use policy. Leaders have a written policy. Laggards don't.
• Continuous training. The brain gets better every month because someone owns it.

What laggards do

• Free ChatGPT, used inconsistently by individuals.
• No firm-wide policy.
• No data governance — client data flowing into consumer AI tools.
• No clear ROI tracking.
• A general feeling that they're behind, with no plan to catch up.

The window

The Schwab data shows 11% of RIAs are a hard "no" on AI. Of the 89% who are open, most are still in experimentation. The gap between firms with installed AI infrastructure and firms still experimenting is going to define the next five years of the industry.

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