What percentage of RIAs use AI in 2026

As of January 2026, 63% of RIAs report using AI in some form, according to Schwab's RIA & AI Research Study of 533 advisors. 11% are a hard 'no' and the remainder are exploring. Adoption has more than doubled since 2023, but most firms remain in the experimentation phase rather than treating AI as firm-wide infrastructure.

The headline numbers

• 63% of RIAs use AI in some form (Schwab, January 2026).
• 82% of current AI users rely on generative AI tools, mostly through individual experimentation rather than coordinated firm strategy.
• 11% are a hard no — not using AI and not planning to.
• The remainder are exploring or planning to start.

How adoption breaks down

• Billion-dollar firms are adopting fastest, often with dedicated AI leads.
• Small RIAs are using AI individually but rarely have firm policies.
• Common use cases: meeting note-taking, content drafting, internal productivity.
• Rare use cases: lead scoring, compliance review, content engines, full back-office systems.

What the leaders look like

According to Schwab, the most successful AI-using firms have four traits in common:

• Leadership sets a clear AI vision.
• The principal models usage publicly.
• The firm invests in upskilling the team.
• Data governance and security are treated as priorities, not afterthoughts.

What this means for firms still on the fence

The gap between leaders and laggards is widening fast. Firms that wait for the technology to settle will be 12-24 months behind by the time they start. The Schwab data shows momentum is accelerating; the window for being an early adopter is closing.

Source: Schwab Advisor Services 2026 RIA & AI Research Study, conducted by Logica Research, October 2025.

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