AI makes its way into French savings, especially among young people

Artificial intelligence is making its way into French people's savings decisions, but its use remains uneven according to age, education and openness to risk. Between rapid adoption among young people and doubts about the advice generated, AI is becoming a support tool before becoming a true financial advisor.

A marked generational divide

According to the savings and investment barometer published in December 2025 by the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), only 11% of French people use AI as a source of information before investing, far behind the banking or financial advisor (42%). But this average masks a clear generational divide: 19% of under-35s use AI, compared with just 4% of over-55s.

This trend is confirmed by other recent studies. A Nalo survey conducted with OpinionWay in April 2026 reveals that more than half of under-35s (52%) use AI to understand financial concepts, and 38% to compare and obtain recommendations on financial products, compared with 19% respectively among their elders. A France Mutualiste study published in March 2026 even shows that 44% of French people under 35 trust ChatGPT, Le Chat or Anthropic to inform themselves about their investments, almost twice as many as the population as a whole.

Usage also varies according to social profile: among people with a level of education higher than bac + 2, 17% say they use AI before making an investment, compared with just 5% among people with no diploma or holders of a brevet.

The most audacious investors on the front line

The use of AI is particularly marked among the most risk-prone investors. The AMF observes that 33% of cryptoasset investors, 24% of crowdfunding investors and 19% of stock market investors use AI as a source of information before investing their money. In all, 29% of French people prepared to accept a greater share of risk use AI to inform themselves ahead of their decisions.

Young people also confirm their strong interest in financial investments: two-thirds of those under 35 (66%) are very interested. Among 18-25 year-olds, one in three turns to AI for advice.

Mainly educational and complementary use

For the time being, AI is mainly used to complement other sources of information. Of the 11% of French people who use AI, 41% use it to supplement the information provided by their financial institution or advisor, and 54% to enrich their online research. Exclusive use of AI remains very much in the minority (5% of those who use AI).

Social media networks are also playing a growing role: 60% of French people use them to find out about savings or investment, and 40% do so at least once a week. The traditional press remains the reference source for more than one in two French people (55%), but is followed by YouTube (46%), Facebook (42%) and specialized sites (42%).

Between expectations and fears

The French are divided on the benefits of professionals using AI to offer investments: 54% see the advantage of advice more tailored to their personal situation, and 52% hope for improved performance and lower fees. But two out of three French people (67%) fear that this use could induce errors or lead to poor decisions, and 57% fear that investments will be less transparent and harder to understand.

Another survey reveals a gender gap in confidence: 59% of men trust AI to save and invest, compared with just 35% of women. Young women are more pessimistic and cautious about their personal finances and the use of AI than men.

Above all, a support tool

The AMF stresses that "in the field of savings and investment, artificial intelligence therefore appears at this stage to be a tool for support rather than decision-making". However, this use "is likely to increase significantly over the next few years".

In professional asset management, the gap between rhetoric and actual adoption remains considerable. A Morningstar study published on June 8, 2026 shows that "significant AI integration is concentrated in fewer than 20 firms, mainly those with long-standing quantitative or systematic infrastructure". Yet 94% of financial services firms are experimenting with or deploying generative AI in their core business functions.

Some managers, such as Pictet, are already using AI to fully pilot a fund, with very satisfactory results. Generative AI is poised to fundamentally reshape investment research:"the scope of equity or bond coverage expands, document analysis accelerates, and tasks once measured in weeks are now completed in minutes".

Risks not to be overlooked

The AMF warns that public online AI tools can provide highly convincing and seemingly professional advice that is not tailored to each individual's profile. In the EU, since the MIFID 2directive (a European regulation designed to harmonize financial markets and strengthen investor protection), AIs are not allowed to provide investment advice alone.