UK Wealth Managers Outpace Global Peers in AI Adoption Despite Client Skepticism

UK wealth management professionals are adopting artificial intelligence faster than their global counterparts, yet British investors remain significantly more skeptical of the technology. This growing divide suggests that while firms are eager to automate and enhance advisory services, they face a substantial trust gap that could hinder the successful rollout of AI-driven wealth strategies.

What was announced

New research from Avaloq, involving 480 wealth management professionals and 4,256 investors globally, reveals a sharp disconnect between industry enthusiasm and client comfort levels regarding AI in the United Kingdom. According to the findings, 93% of UK wealth management professionals expect AI to become integral to their daily operations within the next two years. This represents a notable increase from 87% in 2025 and sits significantly higher than the current global average of 84%.

Industry confidence in the technology is also on the rise. Approximately 90% of UK professionals believe AI will benefit the wealth management sector, compared to 82% last year and a global average of 76%. However, this professional optimism is not shared by the clients they serve. Only 43% of UK investors say they would be comfortable with AI assisting a human adviser, trailing the global average of 52%. Furthermore, 48% of UK investors would prefer that AI has no involvement in their investment advice at all, a figure much higher than the 34% reported globally.

The study also highlights broader concerns regarding digital adoption. Only 42% of UK investors feel comfortable with their bank or wealth manager using AI in any capacity, while 27% explicitly state they are uncomfortable with its use. This sentiment coincides with Avaloq’s Wealth Management Index, which suggests the UK trails leading markets like the US, Singapore, and the UAE in digital foundations, specifically regarding digital skills, cybersecurity readiness, and the adoption of emerging technologies.

"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."

Suman Rao, Managing Director for the UK and Ireland at Avaloq

The companies involved

Avaloq is a global leader in wealth management technology and services, providing core banking software and digital platforms to some of the world’s largest financial institutions. Headquartered in Switzerland, the company was acquired by the Japanese electronics giant NEC Corporation in 2020, a move that integrated Avaloq’s financial expertise with NEC’s capabilities in biometrics and data analysis. The firm is a dominant player in the European and Asian wealth tech markets, focusing on the digital transformation of private banks and wealth managers.

Under the ownership of NEC Corporation, Avaloq has expanded its footprint by focusing on cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) and Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) models. This allows financial institutions to outsource complex back-office operations while maintaining high-touch client relationships through digital front-end tools. The company’s presence in the UK is significant, where it serves a range of tier-one banks and boutique wealth managers navigating the transition from legacy systems to modern, AI-enabled infrastructure.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has tracked Avaloq’s global expansion and technological deployments extensively, with 53 stories covering the firm’s recent milestones. In October 2026, the publication reported that Bank SinoPac Goes Live on Avaloq to Scale Wealth Management in Hong Kong, highlighting the firm's ability to support cross-border wealth services. This followed a major digital overhaul in the Middle East, where InvestGB Partners with Avaloq for First Major Wealth Tech Transformation in Kuwait.

The firm’s strategic partnerships in Asia were further cemented when DBS and Avaloq Target SGD 1 Trillion Wealth Goal with Expanded Asia Partnership. Meanwhile, in its home market, CA next bank Becomes First in Switzerland to Launch Avaloq’s New SaaS Mobile Banking App, demonstrating the company's shift toward mobile-first, cloud-native solutions for retail and private banking clients.

What this means

The UK wealth management sector is entering a period of "asymmetric adoption" where the back office is ready for the future, but the front office remains tethered to client skepticism. For UK firms, the challenge is no longer technical feasibility but psychological acceptance. The high percentage of investors demanding "no AI involvement" suggests that the UK market values human-centric service more than other global hubs. This puts significant pressure on firms to deploy AI as an "invisible" efficiency tool for advisers rather than a client-facing feature. If the UK continues to lag in digital foundations like cybersecurity and skills, this trust gap will likely widen, potentially allowing more digitally advanced markets to capture the next generation of tech-native high-net-worth individuals.