AI, trust, and the human edge: Why charitable engagement is a competitive advantage for advisors

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping financial advising and is a central topic at nearly every industry conference. From portfolio construction to client communications, advisors and firms are increasingly using AI to improve efficiency and deliver more personalized insights at scale.

But as technology becomes more embedded in the advisory process, a critical question emerges: What happens to trust?

Financial advice has always been rooted in strong relationships. Clients are not simply seeking optimized portfolios; they want guidance, reassurance, and a partner to help navigate financial decisions. As AI brings greater automation, the human side of advice becomes even more essential.

In this evolving landscape, charitable engagement is not just a “nice to have.” It is a powerful and often underused trust multiplier.

Trust is the differentiator in an AI era

Industry research reinforces that trust remains the foundation of the advisor-client relationship. According to Natixis Investment Managers’ 2025 Global Survey of Individual Investors,1 96% of U.S. investors say they trust their financial advisor when making decisions, far surpassing the 29% who trust algorithms and AI.

Despite rapid innovation, investors continue to value human guidance. Only 24% prefer digital advice over traditional in-person engagement, and just 6% rely solely on automated advice. Technology can enhance the advisory process, but it has not replaced the need for trusted human judgment.

As AI adoption increases, clients are asking more pointed questions: How are decisions being made? What role does the advisor play versus the technology? Can I trust the outputs?

As AI tools become more widely adopted, technology itself will no longer differentiate advisors. Differentiation will come from how advisors demonstrate their values and build genuine connections.

This is where charitable engagement becomes a strategic advantage.

Charitable work signals values in action

Clients today are paying closer attention to who their advisors are, not just what they know.

Advisors who engage in charitable work through volunteering, board service, or community leadership provide visible proof of their values and demonstrate a commitment to something larger than financial returns.

April’s National Volunteer Month is a timely reminder of the power of giving back. For advisors, volunteering is both a meaningful way to make an impact and an opportunity to live their values in a way that resonates with clients and communities.

I see this firsthand through my work with the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation, where I serve as board chair. The organization amplifies, celebrates, and inspires the charitable work of financial advisors, highlighting stories that reflect the human side of the profession.

When clients see that their advisor is invested in their community, it reinforces a sense of alignment and integrity. It sends a clear message: This is someone who understands purpose, not just performance.

In an environment where AI may feel impersonal, charitable engagement grounds the advisor-client relationship in something tangible and human.

From transactions to shared purpose

Charitable engagement also creates opportunities to deepen relationships beyond traditional financial conversations. Advisors can integrate philanthropy into their practice by incorporating charitable planning into client reviews, hosting volunteer events, supporting client-led initiatives, or engaging the next generation through philanthropy.

This approach is increasingly embraced across the industry. Firms like Natixis have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to philanthropy, with employees recognized as the “Most Generous in Massachusetts” for 13 years2 illustrating how a culture of giving can strengthen both communities and client relationships.

One of AI’s greatest benefits is efficiency. By automating administrative tasks and streamlining analysis, AI gives advisors something incredibly valuable: time.

Advisors who reinvest that capacity into conversations around legacy, purpose, and impact will strengthen relationships. Those who simply increase volume risk becoming more transactional.

Charitable engagement provides a clear pathway for using that time intentionally. It shifts the focus from “What are your returns?” to “What do you want your wealth to accomplish?”

Artificial intelligence will continue to transform how advice is delivered, making advisors more efficient and scalable.

But it will not replace the need for trust.

If anything, it will increase it.

The advisors who thrive in this next era will be those who pair technological capability with visible, authentic human values. Clients may appreciate the efficiency of AI, but they place their trust in people.

And trust, more than anything, is what defines great advice.

Meghan Peachey is the board chair at Invest in Others charitable foundation, as well as senior vice president for the financial institutions group at Natixis Investment Managers – US Distribution. To learn more about the Invest in Others charitable foundation, visit investinothers.org.

1 Natixis Investment Managers, Global Survey of Individual Investors, conducted by CoreData Research in February and March 2025. Survey included 7,050 individual investors in 21 countries.

2 Natixis Investment Managers and its Massachusetts-based associates earned the Most Generous Employees distinction during Boston Business Journal’s annual Corporate Citizenship Awards in September 2025.