Family enterprises are forging ahead with the use of artificial intelligence tools — though family office operations teams are more cautious in their adoption.
A new report from Trusted Family, The State of AI Readiness for Family Enterprises, found that nearly three-quarters (73%) of family enterprise decision-makers are already using AI on a personal level. At an organizational level, that number drops to 46%, though an additional 20% plan to adopt it within the next year.
The primary uses of AI among the family enterprises surveyed: document creation, knowledge searches and data analysis.
The survey included consultants, executives and board members of family enterprises — and found at least three-quarters of the members of each of these groups are already using AI.
The results are in line with those found in the recently released “Global Family Office Report 2025” from UBS, in which a majority of global family office respondents said they expect to use AI in the next five years for several functions, including financial reporting and data visualization, text analysis, portfolio analysis, content creation, risk management and predictive analysis.
The findings are also supported by anecdotal evidence. For example, Amelia Patel, chief of staff for Lacy Diversified Industries (LDI), the family office of the Lacy family in Indianapolis, recently told FO Pro that she uses AI “every day, multiple times a day.” “It makes me more efficient. It makes me smarter. It unstops brainstorming jams. It is just a tool that I think has limitless opportunities.”
But the Trusted Family report also included responses from people who work on family office operations teams. They were notably more cautious: Only 13% of them said they use AI.
The report delved into the main reasons for hesitation: concerns about data security and skills. It detailed specific security fears: 76% said they are worried about having their data shared with third-party providers, for example, and 63% said they worry about data breaches. Regarding skills, the report found that even 36% of early AI adopters said they need better training, as did 67% of late adopters.
The report also pointed out the benefits of using AI, as well as the potential costs of waiting, such as the loss of time and potentially talent. Nearly 80% of businesses are using AI for at least one business function, so those who do not risk getting left behind. And the early AI adopters who responded to the survey said they are saving three to five hours of work per week by having AI handle routine tasks.