As technology continues to reshape industries, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a potential disruptor in estate planning. While digital solutions promise efficiency and accessibility, public trust in AI-driven estate planning tools remains highly divided. When asked whether they would trust AI-generated estate planning advice more or less than advice from a human attorney, 20% of Americans said they would trust AI more, while 46% said they would trust it less. However, a significant portion—34%—said they would trust AI and human attorneys the same.
These results suggest that while AI is not yet a widely trusted estate planning tool, there is a growing openness to its use, particularly among younger, higher-income, and racially diverse respondents.
However, ethical concerns remain a significant barrier to adoption. When asked about the biggest ethical concerns surrounding AI in estate planning, nearly half (47%) cited “Control—AI making decisions without human oversight,” making it the top concern among respondents. Privacy risks (41%) and emotional detachment (37%) were also common concerns, highlighting the unease many feel about replacing human judgment in such a personal process.
Younger Generations Are More Open to AI-Driven Estate Planning
A striking, yet potentially unsurprising, generational divide emerges when analyzing AI trust in estate planning. Gen Z is 580% more likely than the Silent Generation to trust AI-generated estate planning advice more than a human attorney (34% vs. 5%). The trend follows a predictable pattern—as age decreases, trust in AI increases. This reflects a broader generational shift in comfort with technology, where younger individuals, who have grown up with AI-powered tools, are more willing to embrace digital solutions in traditionally human-led fields.
By contrast, Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation remain overwhelmingly skeptical.Their skepticism is largely rooted in concerns about AI taking control over decisions meant for humans. Older generations were the most likely to cite ‘Control—AI making decisions without human oversight’ as their top concern (Silent Generation: 60%, Baby Boomers: 52%). They were also the most likely to fear the ‘emotional implications’ of AI in estate planning (Silent Generation: 41%, Baby Boomers: 40%), reinforcing their belief that estate planning requires a personal touch that AI cannot provide.
The generational divide in trust even extends beyond estate planning. Millennials and Gen Z respondents were also the most likely to cite “Accessibility” as a concern about AI in estate planning (22% and 24%, respectively), showing an awareness that AI-driven solutions could potentially widen inequalities if they primarily benefit wealthier individuals.
Wealthier Households Show Greater Trust in AI for Estate Planning
Income level plays a significant role in AI trust, with higher earners more likely to trust AI either the same or more than a human. The most striking difference comes from the highest-income respondents:
47% of those with a household income over $1M say they would trust AI-generated advice “much more” than a human attorney.
By contrast, just 7% of those earning under $25K express the same level of trust—suggesting a 570% difference in AI acceptance between the highest and lowest earners.
This trust gap may stem from wealthier individuals’ greater access to AI-powered financial tools and their familiarity with emerging technology. While high-income respondents are more likely to embrace AI, they also express heightened concerns about accessibility (27%)—perhaps recognizing that AI-based estate planning could disproportionately benefit those with financial resources, further deepening estate planning inequalities.
While high-income individuals recognize AI’s potential, lower-income respondents ($25K–$100K) are more wary. This group expressed the strongest concerns about AI’s control (50%)—perhaps fearing that a lack of human oversight could disproportionately affect those with fewer legal resources. Interestingly, those earning less than $25K were the most likely to express no concerns at all about AI in estate planning (27%), suggesting that AI-driven solutions may feel less relevant or pressing to those who are less engaged in estate planning overall.
Racial and Gender Differences in AI Trust and Ethical Concerns
Trust in AI also varies significantly by race and gender.
White respondents are the least likely to trust AI “much more” than a human attorney (5%) and the most likely to trust AI “much less” (32%).
Black and Hispanic respondents are the most likely to trust AI “much more” than a human attorney (both at 13%).
Asian respondents are the least skeptical of AI-driven estate planning overall, with only 13% selecting “Much less trust” compared to the average of all respondents (29%)
And when it comes to the ethical concerns around AI:
Asian (47%) and Biracial (44%) respondents are the most likely to express concerns about privacy risks
Black (20%) and Native (19%) respondents are the most likely to express no concerns at all about AI’s ethical implications
This suggests that historical barriers to estate planning access may influence openness to AI-driven solutions. Minority communities have often faced challenges in accessing traditional legal services, and AI may be seen as a potential equalizer, providing more affordable or unbiased estate planning resources.
From a gender perspective, women express far greater skepticism toward AI in estate planning than men.
32% of women say they are “much less likely” to trust AI-generated estate planning advice, compared to just 22% of men—a 45% difference.
Conversely, men are 78% more likely than women to trust AI “much more” (8.9% vs. 5%).
Women’s concerns about AI in estate planning extend beyond trust—they are also more likely than men (39% vs. 34%) to be concerned about the emotional implications of AI replacing personal human touches. Similarly, those with children (or planning to have them) express heightened concerns about AI’s emotional implications (39% vs. 36% of those without children). Estate planning is often deeply tied to family considerations, and for many parents, the idea of AI-driven decision-making may feel particularly impersonal or detached from their unique family dynamics.
These insights were unveiled in the groundbreaking 2025 Trust & Will Estate Planning Report—the largest estate planning survey ever conducted. Click here to view the full report.
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