A 2025 Pearl.com survey of 2,000 US adults found 19% lost more than $100 after following AI chatbot financial advice; among Gen Z investors, the share rose to 27%.
The report argues the main risk is not obvious AI failure but polished, confident answers that miss crucial personal details on taxes, Social Security, Medicare premiums or retirement drawdowns.
Financial decisions are especially hard to verify because mistakes can surface years later, meaning the survey likely understates losses people have not yet noticed.
Use of ChatGPT is spreading quickly—34% of US adults and 58% of under-30s had used it in a 2025 Pew survey—raising the odds more consumers will lean on AI for high-stakes money decisions.
The article says AI can still help as a low-cost educator, but large sums, tax consequences, irreversible moves and highly personal situations should be escalated to a human adviser.