More than half (55%) of 18 to 29-year-olds say they trust AI completely or partly and use it, with nearly a quarter (24%) saying they would feel comfortable discussing financial worries with AI.
Almost half (48%) of young adults say AI has changed their mind about a decision.
There’s a huge generation gap when it comes to using AI as a sounding board for life and money decisions, according to new research from pension provider Aegon as part of its Money:Mindshift campaign.
Less than one in five (18%) of 62 to 80-year-olds say they trust AI completely or somewhat and use it, while only one in 20 (5%) saying they would feel comfortable discussing financial worries with AI.
Aegon said the findings suggest AI is becoming an increasingly influential tool for younger adults as they explore options, weigh trade-offs and think through significant decisions.
It said the findings are consistent with recent research from Hopelab and the Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard Graduate School of Education, which found that some young people are increasingly turning to AI chatbots for advice, emotional support and guidance when weighing up decisions.
Tom Mathar, head of Money:Mindshift at Aegon, said: "The real story isn't whether people are using AI, it's how they're using it. For many younger adults, AI is becoming more than a source of information. It's increasingly a tool for exploring options, testing assumptions and thinking through important choices.”
He said that AI can help people look at familiar decisions from a different perspective. “That can be powerful, particularly when we're weighing complex financial trade-offs.
"Money decisions are rarely simple calculations. They involve trade-offs between competing priorities, both now and in the future. Our research suggests people are increasingly treating AI as a partner for thinking those trade-offs through.”
Mr Mathar praised AI’s ability to surface information and challenge assumptions, but pointed out it can only work with the information it’s given. “Many of life's biggest decisions are shaped by experiences, relationships and personal priorities that are difficult to capture in a prompt. AI only knows what you tell it, and a personal logic hardly transpires in a chat window."
• Research was conducted by Opinium on behalf of Aegon's Money:Mindshift programme. The survey polled 2,000 UK adults, weighted to be nationally representative. Fieldwork took place between 24 and 28 July.