More Human, Not Less: New Edward Jones and Morning Consult Research Shows AI is Deepening the Role of the Financial Advisor

New 2026 Edward Jones survey finds 69% of industry financial advisors say AI has had a positive impact on the industry

Key research findings:

• 53% of industry financial advisors lean toward AI as an opportunity to focus on higher-value client work.
• 68% of industry financial advisors say building and maintaining long-term client trust requires a human touch.
• 38% of industry financial advisors say clients are comparing advice from a financial advisor to what they receive online or through AI tools.

ST. LOUIS, July 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more embedded in everyday life, a new study on AI in wealth management suggests the role of the financial advisor is being reshaped. New research from Edward Jones and Morning Consult — drawn from a national survey of financial advisors conducted May 15–27, 2026 — finds that while technology is changing how advisors work, they are optimistic about the future of the profession. Advisors say clients are arriving at meetings better informed — often with perspectives shaped by digital tools and AI — but increasingly looking for judgment, context and trust that technology alone can't provide.

The study, which surveyed industry financial advisors across the country, finds that nearly all advisors (97%) say client conversations have changed in recent years, expanding well beyond traditional investing topics to include wealth transfer, financial anxiety, life decisions and broader economic concerns.

Changes to technology and the nature of client conversations reveal that the role of the financial advisor is evolving — and becoming more human, not less.

AI enhancing human connection for financial advisors
Financial advisors are using AI to do more of what only humans can do. More than half (53%) of advisors lean toward AI as an opportunity to focus on higher-value client work.

The adoption is widespread: 82% of advisors are already using AI tools in their practice, and 69% say AI has had a positive impact on the industry. When asked how they'd most like to use AI, advisors point to tasks that have long consumed their time without deepening client relationships:

• Automating administrative work like scheduling, calendar management and meeting preparation (59%)
• Drafting routine client emails and follow-ups (53%)

That recaptured time is being reinvested where it matters most: in their clients. As more advisors leverage AI to handle the routine, they're showing up to client conversations with more capacity for the complex. And those conversations demand it — 68% of advisors say building and maintaining long-term client trust requires a human touch.

"Supporting advisors with AI is crucial as they seek to expand the depth of their client relationships and the reach of their practices," said Jason Henderson, Principal, FA Growth & Innovation at Edward Jones.

Edward Jones is embedding AI into its proprietary systems, enabling its financial advisors to operate with greater scale and efficiency. For example, investments in AI are streamlining administrative work by automating repetitive tasks, improving accuracy and freeing practice teams to focus on higher‑value activities.

Artificial intelligence amplifies what Edward Jones financial advisors do, while advisor intelligence — and qualities like compassion, wisdom and trust — remain essential to building deep understanding of what clients need.

AI shifting client relationships
Access to technology is also driving a new client relationship dynamic: financial advisors are no longer delivering information to passive recipients. The survey showed that 38% said clients are comparing advice from a financial advisor to what they receive online or through AI tools.

As clients become more informed and AI enables financial advisors to spend more time with them, the advisor's role is becoming more focused on pressure-testing ideas and adding essential context with engaged clients who have increasingly complex financial lives.

Today's financial decisions are more deeply intertwined with life's major milestones and clients are turning to their financial advisors for guidance that goes well beyond portfolio performance. That's why Edward Jones gives financial advisors the flexibility to choose their client niche and build a practice on their own terms - an approach that supports holistic, relationship-centered guidance.

The future of financial advice is purpose-driven
This research arrives at a defining moment for the wealth management industry. As financial conversations continue to evolve — growing deeper, broader and more human — the role of financial advisor is increasingly purpose-driven. Eighty percent say their sense of purpose has increased over the past five years.

Edward Jones is delivering what both experienced financial advisors and next-generation talent are looking for: a model that combines purpose-driven, client-centered practices with the power of AI.

"When a financial advisor builds their practice and commits to a community for the long term, the opportunity becomes something much bigger. They're building relationships that span every stage of a client's financial life and creating space for deeply meaningful, goal-aligned conversations," said Henderson.

The firm is delivering what financial advisors are looking for: a premier environment to start, grow, optimize and pass on a practice.

As client conversations continue to evolve, Edward Jones advisors are equipped to strategically leverage AI and meet clients wherever they are: informed, curious and ready to build something meaningful together.

About Edward Jones
Edward Jones is a leading financial services firm serving clients across North America, with operations in the United States and Canada. It ranked No. 1 for advised investor satisfaction among 23 wealth management firms in the JD Power 2026 U.S. Investor Satisfaction Study*. More than 20,000 financial advisors serve over 9 million clients, with $2.4 trillion in client assets under care as of March 27, 2026. Edward Jones' purpose is to partner for positive impact to improve the lives of its clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society. Through the dedication of the firm's approximately 55,000 associates and our branch presence in 68% of U.S. counties and all Canadian provinces, Edward Jones is committed to helping improve the financial fulfillment for tens of millions of long-term investors across North America by providing comprehensive, personalized planning and professional advice. The Edward Jones website is at www.edwardjones.com, and its recruiting website is www.careers.edwardjones.com. Member SIPC.

*2026 JD Power U.S. Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study among Wealth Management Firms for Advised Investor Satisfaction, published March 2026, data as of January 2026.
Compensation provided for using, not obtaining, the ranking.

About Morning Consult
Morning Consult is a global decision intelligence company changing how modern leaders make smarter, faster, better decisions. The company pairs its proprietary high-frequency data with applied artificial intelligence to better inform decisions on what people think and how they will act. Learn more at morningconsult.com.

Research methodology
This survey was conducted by global data intelligence company Morning Consult among a national sample of 201 industry financial advisors from May 15-27, 2026.

Frequently asked questions
Q: Is AI replacing financial advisors?
No. According to a May 2026 national survey of 201 financial advisors conducted by Morning Consult and Edward Jones, 82% of financial advisors are already using AI in their practice — and the dominant view is that AI strengthens, rather than threatens, the profession. More than half (53%) see AI primarily as an opportunity to focus on higher-value client work. Separately, 68% say that building and maintaining long-term client trust still requires a human touch. The research finds that AI is handling repetitive administrative tasks so advisors can bring more time, presence and judgment to the conversations that matter most.

Q: How are financial advisors using AI in their practice today?
The top uses financial advisors identified in the 2026 Morning Consult / Edward Jones survey center on reclaiming time from routine tasks: 59% want AI to automate administrative work like scheduling and meeting preparation, and 53% want AI to draft routine client emails and follow-ups. At Edward Jones specifically, the firm is embedding AI into its proprietary systems, enabling its financial advisors to operate with greater scale and efficiency. For example, investments in AI are streamlining administrative work by automating repetitive tasks, improving accuracy and freeing practice teams to focus on higher‑value activities.

Q: What does the research say about the financial advisor's sense of purpose?
The 2026 Morning Consult / Edward Jones survey found that 80% of financial advisors say their sense of purpose has grown over the past five years. As client conversations have expanded — becoming deeper, more personal and more centered on life's major milestones — advisors report a stronger connection to the meaning of their work. This trend is reflected in how Edward Jones builds its model: as an environment where advisors start, grow, optimize and ultimately transition a practice that becomes something larger than a career.

Q: How has Edward Jones been recognized for investor satisfaction?
Edward Jones ranked No. 1 for advised investor satisfaction among 23 wealth management firms in the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study, published March 2026 (data as of January 2026).

Q: Who conducted the financial advisor AI survey?
The survey was conducted by Morning Consult, a global decision intelligence company, on behalf of Edward Jones. It included a national sample of 201 financial advisors and was fielded May 15–27, 2026.

SOURCE Edward Jones