AI Not Experimental Any More – Deloitte Family Firms Study

Editorial Staff

14 April 2026

A global survey of 1,587 family businesses – a sector that wealth managers follow closely – shows that 86 per cent of them have adopted AI. Just over half have a fully-integrated technology strategy, and 41 per cent are on the way to do so.

The findings come from Deloitte Private’s Family Business Insights Series: Family Business Technology Transformation study.

At the forefront of in-demand AI applications are process efficiency , risk mitigation , and customer relationship management .

The survey was conducted with businesses with revenues of at least $100 million across 35 countries and in-depth interviews with 30 senior executives, the Deloitte report said.

“Family businesses increasingly recognize that AI is no longer experimental but a requirement to how they compete, operate, and grow,” Yali Yin, Deloitte Private leader, Deloitte Asia-Pacific, said. “Deloitte Private’s research shows that many are still moving from ad hoc digital initiatives toward more structured, enterprise-wide strategies.”

Overall, most respondents are satisfied with their technology adoption – 94 per cent say employees feel that technology has simplified tasks and improved working environments to a large or moderate extent.

Thirty-seven per cent of family businesses still see themselves at only a moderate stage of overall digital investment, with a further 11 per cent reporting minimal progress, underscoring how many family businesses remain in the process of moving from fragmented initiatives toward more integrated, enterprise-wide technology strategies.