“At T. Rowe Price, our research is driven by a spirit of curiosity and a commitment to uncovering deeper insights,” said Jessica Sclafani, head of the Retirement Strategist Team at T. Rowe Price. “By capturing the insights of leading consultants and advisors, we are better equipped to anticipate emerging trends, incorporate client preferences into our solutions, and help clients make more informed decisions in an evolving retirement landscape.”
AI moves from experimentation to daily use
A key finding in this year’s study is how quickly artificial intelligence has moved from a topic of discussion to a standard operating tool. In 2025, 44% of US respondent firms described their AI use as too early to evaluate. By 2026, that share had fallen to 14%, a drop of 30 percentage points in 12 months.
The tasks driving adoption are largely operational: 78% of firms report using AI to improve internal workflows, 67% to streamline client preparation, and 47% to support client outreach. Usage for fiduciary and advice-intensive activities, including plan design analysis (12%) and participant engagement (9%), remains limited, a clear signal that human judgment continues to be viewed as irreplaceable in those areas.
That distinction will feel familiar to Canadian advisors. Research published by IG Wealth Management earlier in 2026 found that 91% of Canadian advisors believe AI is a powerful tool that can help elevate their practices, yet a significant share remains cautious about compliance implications and the potential impact on client relationships.
The T. Rowe Price data adds a useful US data point: firms that have implemented formal AI governance policies use AI tools approximately 50% more frequently across their business than those without such frameworks, suggesting that structured adoption, rather than open-ended experimentation, is what actually moves the needle.