GCC investors favor AI-assisted wealth advice, but fully automated services are a harder sell

Investors in the GCC are increasingly open to artificial intelligence playing a role in wealth management, although they continue to favor human involvement in investment decisions, according to Avaloq’s Wealth Insights 2026 research.

The report found that more than two-thirds of surveyed GCC investors  (67%) are comfortable with their bank or wealth manager using AI, with a clear preference for services that support advisers rather than replace them.

Investors are most receptive to AI assisting a human adviser in making product recommendations (53%), handling portfolio inquiries (52%) and providing investment advice (52%).

Meanwhile, that figure drops significantly when services are fully automated, with acceptance peaking at just 23% in areas that include portfolio analysis and making investments.

For banks, the challenge is to use AI to meet rising service expectations while preserving the personal relationships clients value.

That balance matters particularly in the Gulf, where investors have high expectations for responsiveness. Some 71% communicate with their bank, wealth manager, or adviser at least once a week, while 35% expect a response within an hour. Both figures were the highest across the markets surveyed.

“Clients expect their banking relationships to evolve alongside them,” said Ajay Kumar, executive vice president for group asset and wealth management at QNB Group.

“We see innovation as a way to simplify complexity and help clients navigate important financial decisions with greater confidence,” Kumar said. “The goal is not technology for its own sake, but helping clients make informed decisions and pursue their long-term ambitions.”

Growing wealth and more complex financial needs are putting pressure on institutions to provide timely information, tailored advice and consistent support across digital and personal channels.

The demand for digital tools also increases with wealth, according to the global findings. Eight in ten investors who have a net worth of between $10-30 million in investable assets place more importance on portfolio insights and planning tools.

Access to wealth managers across multiple channels is also a matter of trust for wealthier clients. Among the same investors, 76% consider it important, rising to 80% among those with at least $100 million.

Meeting those expectations will require wealth managers to improve how advisers work behind the scenes. Globally, 84% of professionals expect AI to become integral to their work within two years, with the same proportion believing it could help them deliver more personalized service.

“The next phase of wealth management will not be defined by technology alone, but by how effectively firms use it to adapt, scale and serve clients,” said Pascal Wengi, chief commercial officer at Avaloq.

“Whether the focus is AI, personalization or digital service delivery, the common requirement is a strong foundation of high-quality data, efficient processes and empowered advisers.”

Those foundations remain a challenge. Wealth professionals identified data privacy, accuracy and regulatory compliance as leading barriers to AI adoption, with 29% naming privacy as their biggest concern.

For banks, improving efficiency will therefore depend on building confidence in how the technology handles information and supports advice.

“Organizations that get this balance right will be better placed to grow while preserving the relationships clients value most in an increasingly digital environment,” Wengi said.