How to use AI to connect you to the next generation of investors

Younger investors increasingly consume financial information through digital channels—from social media and online communities to artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools. That doesn’t make the financial advisor less relevant. It changes what these younger investors expect from one. 

Sure, AI can crunch numbers, analyze data, and build financial plans and investment portfolios. But the next generation of investors still values the judgment, context, empathy, and trust an advisor can provide. 

You don't need to compete with AI for the next generation of investors. You need to show them what becomes possible when an experienced advisor uses AI well. 

Why AI fluency is becoming part of the advisor value proposition

Younger investors may increasingly expect their advisors to understand and thoughtfully use the technologies they themselves are using.

Eight in 10 (79%) young high-net-worth (HNW) individuals, for example, say they would “like [their] financial advisor to take advantage of AI tools,” according to a survey conducted by Boosted.ai, a finance-specific AI company. Gen Z and millennials expect their advisors to leverage the technology to help guide asset allocation, manage risk in line with their investment goals, and help close the wealth gap, the survey found.  

As technology plays a more prominent role in how younger investors consume financial information, advisors have an opportunity to provide context. If TikTok or ChatGPT says Social Security is going bankrupt, for example, an advisor can acknowledge those concerns, correct the record, and explain what it means for their client’s plan.

AI adoption may also influence how younger investors evaluate an advisor. One in three (35%) of 18- to 44-year-old investors said they would consider changing their financial advisor if the advisor wasn’t implementing new technology like AI, the survey found. 

If you’re wondering how proficient your AI knowledge is, take our quiz to find your AIQ.

Use AI to personalize and sharpen your communications

AI can help you market to the person, not the generation. A 30-year-old entrepreneur, a new parent, and a recent law-school graduate may be the same age but have very different financial needs, challenges, and priorities. 

For example, a debt-free young professional may be interested in homeownership, Roth savings, and building wealth. A new parent may be more focused on building an emergency fund, reviewing insurance needs, saving for their child(ren)’s education, and balancing those priorities with retirement. A recent law-school graduate carrying significant debt may be more focused on balancing loan repayment with retirement savings. 

AI can help develop content and outreach tailored to those very different priorities—from educational emails and newsletters to webinar topics and next steps.

AI can also help pressure-test your communications. Is the language clear? Does it sound like you? Is it relevant to the audience or full of financial industry terminology they may tune out?

AI can also review your online presence, social media content, and email communications, helping to identify opportunities to strengthen your brand voice, simplify your messaging, and make your digital presence more relevant to younger investors.

Use AI to turn insights into better client conversations

While younger generations may use AI tools on their own to make sense of their finances and explore ways to grow their wealth, the human connection still matters. The advisor’s value is to add context, judgment, and perspective to the insights AI surfaces.

For example, you can set risk parameters and use AI to help identify portfolio drift or concentration risk. AI can also help answer key “what if” questions, such as how a prolonged market downturn could impact a client’s long-term goals or how changes in spending might affect the timing of their retirement. 

AI may also help surface behavioral patterns that warrant a conversation, such as panic selling or chasing investments simply because they are rising in value. Those insights can give you an opportunity to step in with coaching before short-term emotions derail long-term plans.

Used as a teaching tool, AI can also help turn those conversations into personalized educational content. Targeted articles, webinars, or interactive tools can reinforce your guidance and help younger investors better understand the trade-offs behind their financial decisions. 

Pair AI with the value only you can provide

AI can help you deliver the speed, personalization, and digital experience younger investors increasingly expect. But technology alone isn’t the differentiator. 

The opportunity is to pair AI’s capabilities with the judgment, empathy, and trust that only you can bring to the relationship. Advisors who strike that balance can use technology not simply to work differently, but to build stronger connections and uncover new opportunities with the next generation of investors.