Financial firms tie compensation to AI proficiency, PwC survey finds

Financial services firms are starting to incentivize AI usage with pay bonuses for employees, according to a PwC's 2026 Financial Services Workforce AI Survey. 

The survey of 1,000 executives from U.S. firms found that more than half (58%) say they will tie compensation directly to AI-enabled productivity. Over 90% of respondents said they’re increasing compensation for employees with AI skills, and 86% agree that AI skills training is more valuable than an MBA for new hires. 

“In the not client facing departments of broker-dealers, AI proficiency is being more highly valued but with heavy handed guardrails to keep output limited to compliant work product,” said advisor industry recruiter Philip Waxelbaum, founder of Masada Consulting. “Much [AI] is being deployed in creation of marketing materials that require detailed and well-trained prompts to produce compliant materials. Same can be said in applications being used for trading and research purposes.” 

Firms looking to recruit financial advisors are generally still prioritizing existing client accounts above anything else, according to Louis Diamond, CEO of the advisor recruiting firm Diamond Consultants.  

“If an advisor has an existing book of business, that's still the most valuable attribute that firms covet and pay for,” Diamond told InvestmentNews. “AI competency is definitely more important for more entry-level advisors, or for salaried advisors who don't necessarily have a book.” 

PwC found that 61% of financial firms will offer more performance-based pay for employees with AI skills, and 58% of firms will pay a premium for AI fluency. RIAs such as Mariner have committed to paying upwards of $35 million per year for AI agents to handle operational tasks such as client onboarding, compliance reviews, and account opening.  

“If there was an advisor who was really strong in AI and had a vision for how they were going to use AI for prospecting [clients] and a firm thought that would be additive to the overall culture, someone might pay a premium,” said Diamond. “But I haven't seen it in our recruiting business yet.” 

PwC’s survey also found that financial services firms are bracing for reduced staffing needs due to reliance on AI. Nearly eight in 10 say that their workforce will shrink by at least 20% over the next five years. 

“Ironically where AI prior training is most highly valued in the departments that are charged with limiting AI queries and the resulting AI output. Governance is the most challenging aspect of all AI deployment. There is a unique shortage of qualified persons to serve in those roles,” Waxelbaum told InvestmentNews. “In our industry, broad application of AI is being intentionally throttled. Use is being limited, for now, to the takeover of repetitive tasks and provide high levels of automation to overwhelm tedium.” 

While Diamond notes that AI skills could be especially valuable for entry-level financial advisors, PwC’s study shows entry-level positions to be most vulnerable to AI-driven staff reductions. Among financial services firms, 30% point to entry-level roles as most vulnerable to disruption from AI, followed by middle management at 26%. 

“My summary is that in the regulated investment business AI will create efficiencies at scale but will not be permitted to replace demonstrative human judgement. The regulatory requirements and the generalized risks are too great to lack personal culpability,” Waxelbaum says. 

Waxelbaum downplays the notion of AI skills being a distinguishing factor in advisor compensation. 

 “For those reasons only journeyman knowledge will be required of most BD and RIA affiliates for the near future. Prior AI experience and training will be valued but not required or substantially compensated.”