Eighty-five percent of affluent Malaysian investors use artificial intelligence for financial tasks, matching mainland China and trailing only India’s 86%, according to a recent survey by Ipsos commissioned by HSBC [1, 2, 3, 4]. The survey covered about 10,000 affluent and high-net-worth individuals aged 21 to 69 with investable assets of at least US$100,000 and US$2 million, respectively [1, 4].
Despite widespread AI adoption, more than half—around 58%—of Malaysian investors prefer a hybrid approach that combines AI tools with human expert guidance for financial decision making [1, 2, 3, 4]. Financial professionals remain the main source of investment ideas for 65% of respondents and wield over twice the influence on final decisions (39%) compared to AI tools acting alone (16%) [1, 2, 3, 4].
Investors highly value human advisers for reassurance (about 85%) and strategic expertise (around 76%). They rely on experts to spot errors in AI data, interpret complex market conditions, and provide validated judgments that AI alone cannot deliver [1, 2, 3, 4]. Linda Yip, HSBC Malaysia Country Head of International Wealth and Premier Banking, said, "Technology gives us speed, but human connection builds trust. The future of banking lies in a seamless partnership between AI-driven insights and human expertise" [1, 4].
Generation-wise, AI usage rates in Malaysia are highest among Millennials (30-45) at 89%, followed by Gen Z (21-29) at 86%, Gen X (46-61) at 85%, and Baby Boomers (62-69) at 78% [1, 2, 3, 4]. Besides finance, 64% of respondents also utilize AI for work, career advancement, and personal development [2, 3, 4].
Survey participants envision an ideal financial decision-making model where human experts and AI collaborate seamlessly. This is especially important for portfolio analysis and generating new investment ideas [2, 3, 4].
The Ipsos survey was conducted online from January 6 to February 6, 2026, covering 10 markets including Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, the UK, and the US [1]. Results were published by The Edge Malaysia, Oriental Daily, and Malay Mail in early August 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4].
