Nearly Two-Thirds of Retail Investors Now Use AI to Inform Investment Decisions, Survey Finds
Nearly two-thirds of U.S. retail investors are now using artificial intelligence to help inform investment decisions, according to a new Investing.com survey of 938 American investors, underscoring how quickly AI tools are becoming integrated into the retail investing landscape.
The survey found that 62% of respondents say they have used AI tools to assist with investment decisions, highlighting the growing role artificial intelligence is playing in how investors research markets, analyze opportunities, and generate trading ideas.
"Arguably, there are only a handful of industries in which AI has proven as disruptive as quickly as it has in the financial industry," said Thomas Monteiro, senior analyst at Investing.com. "This is even more pronounced for retail investors, where companies can now offer access to all types of financial-grade tools at a fraction of what they cost just a couple of years ago”
Among respondents, 24% say they use AI tools regularly, while 27% say they use them occasionally and 11% say they have experimented with them once or twice. Meanwhile, 21% say they have not yet used AI but are considering it, and 17% say they do not plan to use AI tools for investing at all.
The survey also suggests that many investors believe the technology is improving their results. Roughly 65% of investors who have used AI say it has improved their performance in the market, including 17% who say their performance improved significantly and 48% who say it improved somewhat.
"Broad access to complex financial models is rapidly leveling the playing field, enabling retail investors to compete at largely the same level as professional investors," Monteiro added. "In the near future, those who lack access to these models could potentially be left behind, as the gap between good and bad decision-making widens due to the increasing sophistication of the market."
AI tools are increasingly being used across a wide range of investing activities. According to the survey:
— 62% of respondents say they use AI to research stocks or other assets
— 35% use AI to better understand financial news and market developments
— 34% use AI to generate investment or trading ideas
— 22% use AI to assist with portfolio decisions
Among specific tools, AI chatbots such as ChatGPT are the most widely used, with 54% of respondents saying they have used them for investing-related research.
At the same time, the survey highlights that many investors remain cautious about relying entirely on AI-generated insights. 54% say they trust AI-generated analysis only somewhat and typically verify the information using other sources, while 23% say they trust it either mostly or completely.
Looking ahead, many investors expect their use of AI tools to increase. More than half of respondents say they expect to use AI more in the future, including 38% who say they plan to use it significantly more.
The survey also found that investors see several key advantages in AI-powered investing tools. Nearly 40% say AI allows them to analyze market data faster, while 15% say it helps reduce emotional decision-making and improve discipline in their investment strategies.
However, respondents also identified several concerns surrounding AI-driven investing. 39% say they worry about incorrect or misleading recommendations, 24% worry that widespread AI use could create market herding, and 21% say they are concerned about investors becoming overly reliant on automated tools.
The findings come as financial platforms increasingly introduce AI-powered tools designed to help investors analyze markets and generate insights more quickly.