AI becomes the top investing tool for Indian wealth clients

By Puja Sharma

Indian Investors Lead The World In AI Adoption; But They still want human judgement to make the final call

HSBC released its Human-AI Advantage Report , which offers insights into how consumers are adopting and integrating AI in wealth management. The research shows 98% of affluent and HNW Indians use AI, with 86% applying it to finance and investing, but rely on trusted professional advisers when making decisions.

Investors in India are setting the global pace for artificial intelligence adoption in finance and investing, according to new research commissioned by HSBC from Ipsos.

A new survey of around 10,000 affluent and high-net-worth individuals across 10 markets, including 1,115 from India, shows AI is a mainstream tool supporting investors’ day-to-day finance and investment decision-making. In India, 86% apply AI specifically to finance and investment – the top area they use AI in their lives, and the highest usage across all markets surveyed, including the global average (73%).

Within finance and investment, the top three common uses of AI by Indian investors are for analysis and research (80%), strategy support (70%) and to sense-check their thinking and get a second opinion (32%). The result is greater confidence when discussing decisions with a financial adviser (36%), more effective comparison of investment options (32%), and deeper understanding of market trends and economic data (32%).

The AI trust threshold: Where exploration ends and expertise begins

Despite being global leaders in AI adoption, investors in India continue to place their trust on professional advice. Financial professionals remain the top source of investment ideas (67%) and the most influential factor in final decisions (31%), more than double the influence attributed to AI tools (15%). Investors particularly value advisers for distinct human strengths, including emotional reassurance (89%) and strategic expertise (78%).

When asked about their preferred future decision-making model, more than half (51%) cite a hybrid approach where AI tools and human advisers work together. This includes respondents who use AI to discover options, then seek a human adviser to validate findings before acting (33%); and those who want their adviser to use AI tools to support them (18%).

Commenting on the research, Sandeep Batra, Head, International Wealth and Premier Banking, HSBC India, said, “Indian investors are embracing AI faster than anywhere else in the world, using it to explore options and sense-check decisions. What’s striking is that despite high AI usage, AI’s influence in investment ideas and over decision-making trails behind professional advisers. The data shows AI isn’t replacing professional advice – it’s raising the quality of decision-making. The future of wealth management is a partnership where AI can accelerate analysis, while advisers bring judgement, personal context, and accountability at the moments that matter most.”

AI builds confidence – advisers provide conviction

AI is also influencing investors’ behavior and wellbeing. 53% say AI makes them feel more in control, compared with 31% who say it makes them feel less in control. More than six in ten (64%) Indian investors say AI makes them more willing to take calculated risks, making them the boldest investors globally (global average 49%). Over the last 12 months, Indian investors attribute an average 40% share of returns to AI’s influence.

Beyond investing, in India, 77% report an improved quality of life as a result of using AI, with 40% using the technology to explore new career paths or business ideas, positioning AI as a catalyst for professional ambition as well as financial decision-making.

The findings point to an emerging model for wealth management where AI enhances speed of research and analysis, while human advisers provide context, validation and accountability when it matters most.