UAE emerges as hotspot for AI-led wealth investing shift, study shows

By Puja Sharma

BridgeWise released its inaugural State of AI for Wealth in 2026 report, a global study of 2,100 respondents across 19 countries examining how investors worldwide are integrating artificial intelligence into their research and decision-making. Image courtesy: BridgeWise

UAE investors have the highest stated intent of any country surveyed to replace traditional investment research with AI tools within the next twelve months

Inaugural “State of AI for Wealth” report reveals:

• The UAE ranks second globally in the Global Wealth AI Optimism Index, leading the world in momentum — the intent to replace traditional investment research with AI tools within the next twelve months
• The Middle East ranks first globally across the Index, outranking APAC, North America, and Europe on both current adoption and future momentum
• 78.3% of respondents globally already use AI for investment research, with 65.1% planning to replace manual research methods within the year

BridgeWise, the wealth AI provider, released its inaugural State of AI for Wealth in 2026 report, a global study of 2,100 respondents across 19 countries examining how investors worldwide are integrating artificial intelligence into their research and decision-making. Among the report’s most significant findings: the UAE ranks second globally in the inaugural Global Wealth AI Optimism Index and first in the world in momentum, meaning UAE investors have the highest stated intent of any country surveyed to replace traditional investment research with AI tools within the next twelve months.

The Global Wealth AI Optimism Index: The Middle East Leads the World

The report introduces the Global Wealth AI Optimism Index, a proprietary benchmark evaluating 19 countries across four weighted pillars: Adoption (AI usage frequency), Confidence (trust in AI accuracy), Edge (perceived competitive advantage), and Momentum (intent to replace traditional research with AI). The Middle East ranks first globally across the Index, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE as the primary drivers of that performance, ranking first and second worldwide, respectively. The UAE’s standout position in momentum — ahead of every other country in the study — reflects the broader regional commitment to AI-integrated financial infrastructure, consistent with the UAE’s national technology strategy and its established position as a leading global fintech hub.

The “Untapped Believers”

Beyond active users, the study identifies a significant market opportunity among what it terms the “Untapped Believers.” Approximately 29.3% of respondents who do not currently use AI for investment research already report trusting its accuracy. The primary barrier to their adoption is not skepticism but a lack of accessible, purpose-built tools within the wealth ecosystem, a gap that purpose-built, regulation-aligned AI platforms are positioned to close.

The Great Research Migration

Looking ahead, 65.1% of respondents globally indicate they are likely to replace manual investment research with AI-driven tools in the coming year, a shift most pronounced among younger investors, with 57.8% of those aged 18 to 35 already identifying as frequent AI users, compared with 26.9% of those over 50.

BridgeWise CEO Gaby Diamant commented: “The competitive divide in wealth management will no longer run between humans and machines. It will run between those who have access to specialised, wealth-native intelligence that surfaces opportunities invisible to generic AI engines, and those still navigating an increasingly complex global market with tools that were not built for it. The data from this study confirms that the demand is already there. The mandate now is to meet it with AI that is explainable, accurate, and purpose-built for finance from the ground up.”