In yet another indication of how well the UAE has embraced artificial intelligence (AI), nearly three-fourths of UAE investors would prefer AI to manage their portfolios.
A survey commissioned by Alpheya, an AI-powered wealth management platform backed by Abu Dhabi’s Lunate and BNY, interviewed 509 investors between May and July 2025, and found out that 73 per cent of them would embrace AI as an alternative to human advisors, while 70.8 per cent said they would trust AI to manage their portfolios.
The survey sample comprised a diverse mix of age groups, investment experience levels, and income brackets, including high-net worth individuals (HNWIs) and retail investors.
The findings highlight both the opportunity and challenge facing digital wealth management providers in the UAE. While investor appetite for smarter, more holistic digital wealth management solutions is rising, existing platforms are failing to meet expectations.
Only half (52 per cent) of HNWIs said they were satisfied with their current methods of investing, and it fell to 37 per cent in retail investors.
A considerable number of investors (40 per cent) also reported unmet needs in product offerings, signalling that while investors are ready for digital wealth solutions, the market has yet to deliver the seamless, personalised experience they expect.
However, even as AI-driven solutions gain traction, the findings reaffirm that technology alone cannot replace the human dimension of trust and guidance. Nearly 50 per cent of investors turn to family members for investment decisions, underscoring that personal relationships, reassurance, and contextual nuance remain core to trust in wealth management.
Roger Rouhana, CEO of Alpheya, commented: “The UAE has consistently positioned itself at the forefront of technological innovation, and these findings confirm that investor sentiment is aligned with the country’s forward-looking vision.
“The most effective solutions will be those where AI augments human advisors rather than replacing them entirely, combining technological efficiency with the personal relationships investors clearly value. As platforms deliver this integration through intuitive experiences, adoption will follow.”
The survey results point to a market on the brink of transformation.
With strong investor appetite, progressive frameworks in ADGM and DIFC, and national initiatives such as the UAE’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 enabling responsible innovation, the country is uniquely positioned to lead the next phase of digital wealth management.
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