Gen Z leans on AI and family for financial guidance

Gen Z leans on AI and family for financial guidance
Survey research unpacks AI’s role in helping Gen Z manage their finances, plus how they prioritize spending and saving.
AUG 29, 2024

New research from Cleo, an AI-driven financial assistant, reveals that members of Generation Z are leaning heavily on artificial intelligence and family as they navigate a raft of challenges in handling their money.

According to the survey, a significant 61 percent of Gen Z respondents are using AI tools to manage their finances, and 51 percent rely on parental advice. At the same time, less than 15 percent of that young cohort say they seek out financial information from banks.

The tendency towards discussing financial concerns with machines rather than friends or advisors also showed up in another survey Cleo conducted in May, where 7 percent of Gen Z participants said they feel most comfortable having conversations with a financial assistant app. That survey also found over two-thirds of Gen Z (72 percent) find it difficult to talk about their finances, with 40 percent stating they would never discuss their debts with others.

Cleo’s latest survey paints a challenging portrait of Gen Z, with 61 percent of respondents admitting they sometimes feel like they’re running out of money and need to ask for help. Underscoring family’s continuing influence in their financial decisions, the same percentage of respondents said their parents or guardians managed their finances up until they entered college.

Generation Z savers are apparently keeping a tight handle on their finances, with 63 percent of those surveyed saying they have a monthly budget that they track regularly. That doesn’t mean they don’t have financial regrets, however, as 80 percent reported buyer's remorse over non-essential purchases outside their budget, neglecting to pay bills, and not contributing to savings goals, among other reasons.

While just under three in five (58 percent) claimed they rarely buy things on impulse, 40 percent admitted to spending between $100 and $200 monthly on non-essentials.

A from Cleo in March offered another peek into how Gen Z is altering their spending habits. That research found 79 percent of respondents have changed their spending behavior in the past one to two years, with two-thirds now prioritizing food, travel, entertainment, electronics, fashion or beauty, and personal fitness. Still, saving remains a priority for many, with 73 percent of respondents putting aside money regularly, and 40 percent doing so on a weekly or monthly basis.

Latest News

AI told this client when to retire. Mission Wealth's advisors disagreed
AI told this client when to retire. Mission Wealth's advisors disagreed

Advisors are navigating a new reality as clients pre-consult ChatGPT before meetings

Stifel settles more complaints involving star brokers’ sale of structured products
Stifel settles more complaints involving star brokers’ sale of structured products

Chuck Roberts and Stifel have been facing scrutiny due to sales of structured products and structured notes.

Linqto presses forward wth Forge and Schwab suit as bankruptcy drags on
Linqto presses forward wth Forge and Schwab suit as bankruptcy drags on

The bankrupt fintech platform, which had drawn users seeking access to pre-IPO shares of tech startups, claims a last-minute breach of contract threatens to delay recovery for more than 13,000 defrauded customers.

Northern Trust taps Candice Nakagawa to lead family office push in the West
Northern Trust taps Candice Nakagawa to lead family office push in the West

Appointment extends a run of senior hires as Northern Trust builds out complex-wealth services for entrepreneurs and multigenerational families.

Treasury, IRS move forward on TrumpIRA.gov and Saver's Match rules
Treasury, IRS move forward on TrumpIRA.gov and Saver's Match rules

Agency notice opens comment period on the federal match as retirement experts weigh the program's reach for underserved savers.

SPONSORED Direct indexing webinar targets tax-loss harvesting amid market swings

Northern Trust’s Ken Lassner shows advisors how to convert volatility into after-tax portfolio gains

SPONSORED Who builds the income when the pension disappears?

Dan Biagini of American Equity says the steady decline of pensions, longer lifespans and a reset in interest rates are rewriting how advisors build retirement income