More UAE investors are embracing AI in the management of their wealth, according to a survey commissioned by wealth-tech firm Alpheya.
In a survey conducted between May and July 2025 among 509 UAE-based investors, it was found that 73% of them would consider AI over a human financial advisor, while 70.8% trust it to run their portfolios.
Why This Shift Is Occurring
This shift toward AI comes at a time of high market volatility, especially within digital assets like crypto.
In times of uncertainty in traditional and crypto markets, investors here in the UAE look at AI as one more disciplined, rules-based way to invest, which helps mitigate emotional decisions and better manage risk.
AI tools are able to analyze large amounts of data, notice trends, and provide insight with much more speed and accuracy than is humanly possible.
But It’s Not Just Robots: Humans Still Matter
Despite the strong appetite for AI, the human touch hasn’t disappeared. Nearly half of the surveyed investors still rely on family members when making key investment decisions.
On the question of satisfaction with current platforms, only 52% of high-net-worth individuals are satisfied, while satisfaction drops to 37% among retail investors.
Meanwhile, 40% of those surveyed feel that existing digital platforms don’t fully meet their needs in terms of product variety or personalized service.
He supports the best wealth-management model which includes trusted personal relationships combined with efficient systems powered by artificial intelligence.
What Investors Need to Consider
Evaluate Platforms Carefully: Any AI advisor should support local investment needs, such as AED portfolios, Gulf market exposure, or even Shariah-compliant options.
Use AI, But Don’t Abandon Human Judgment: Most say a hybrid model works best, where AI does the heavy data lifting, and humans bring context and strategy.
Long-Term vs. Short-Term: If you’re investing long-term, AI may offer more benefits. Short-term savers should be more cautious and monitor performance closely.
Costs and Performance Comparison: Look into the fees, service quality, and performance history of any AI-based platform before fully committing.
Regulatory & Innovation Support: The UAE’s regulatory framework-for example, in ADGM and DIFC-and its national AI initiatives support the growing adoption of AI in the management of wealth.
Conclusion
With most of the UAE investors now trusting AI for managing money, what we are seeing is a definite shift in how wealth is handled, one that melds technology and human insight. This trend is very likely to accelerate further with the evolution of AI tools and improvement of local platforms, thus shaping a new era of digital-first and human-supported investment management in the UAE.
