Affluent and high-net-worth investors in Malaysia are adopting AI tools for finance and investment at one of the highest rates globally, but most still want a human expert to oversee the technology, according to an HSBC survey released today. The study of roughly 10,000 affluent investors across 10 markets, conducted by Ipsos, shows that 85 percent of Malaysian respondents use AI for financial decisions - trailing only India at 86 percent and tied with mainland China.
More than half of Malaysian investors surveyed - 58 percent - said they prefer a hybrid approach that combines AI tools with professional human judgment when making financial decisions. This demand for oversight persists even as AI adoption rates for finance in Malaysia surge, exceeding usage for career management and personal growth (both at 64 percent).
Across generations, Millennials (aged 30-45) are the heaviest users of AI for finances at 89 percent, followed by Gen Z (86 percent), Gen X (85 percent), and Baby Boomers (78 percent).
Investors still trust humans more than AI
Despite high AI adoption, these wealthy investors say financial professionals and institutions remain their primary source of investment ideas (65 percent), and those professionals are the most influential factor in investment decisions (39 percent) - more than double the influence of AI tools, which stands at 16 percent.
"Technology gives us speed, but human connection builds trust," said Linda Yip, country head of international wealth and premier banking at HSBC Malaysia. "The future of banking lies in a powerful partnership between AI-driven insights and human judgment. By pairing advanced analytics with human relationships, we aim to allow our clients to make confident decisions in an increasingly complex financial landscape."
When asked why they turn to financial professionals, 85 percent of respondents cited reassurance and 76 percent cited strategic expertise. That includes tasks where humans currently outpace AI: spotting mistakes in AI-generated data (31 percent), providing personalized insight of complex data (31 percent), and applying judgment and validation (30 percent).
Why this matters for finance professionals
The HSBC survey makes clear that affluent clients are experimenting with AI but haven't stopped needing their advisors. Finance managers and professionals have an opening to own the "expert oversight" role that wealthy clients explicitly seek - checking AI outputs, adding context, and validating decisions. Specialized AI for finance training, such as AI learning paths designed for finance managers, can help professionals build the skills clients now demand: spotting AI errors, applying professional judgment, and integrating AI tools into existing advisory workflows without displacing human relationships.
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