T. ROWE PRICE STUDY FINDS DC CONSULTANTS AND ADVISORS ARE MOVING FROM AI EXPLORATION TO EXECUTION, WHILE PRIVATE ASSETS AND PERSONALIZATION GAIN MOMENTUM
T. Rowe Price released its sixth annual Defined Contribution Consultant Study, drawing on 36 consulting and advisory firms that represent more than 160,000 plan sponsor clients and $10.3 trillion in DC plan assets, roughly 72% of the market. The survey shows AI adoption shifting from exploration to execution: the share of firms describing their AI use as too early to evaluate fell from 44% in 2025 to 14% this year, with usage concentrated in operational efficiency (78%). Private assets keep building momentum in DC plans, with expected inclusion of private credit jumping from 1.7 to 2.6 and private equity from 1.6 to 2.2 on a 1-to-4 likelihood scale since 2024, mostly via target date funds.
Key figures
- Filer aum
- $1.9 trillion
- Total dc market
- $14.2 trillion
- Study firms surveyed
- 36
- Dc market share covered
- 72%
- Dc plan sponsor clients
- 160000
- Ai evaluating share 2025
- 44%
- Ai evaluating share 2026
- 14%
- Dc assets under advisement
- $10.3 trillion
- Ai use operational efficiency
- 78%
- Comanufactured tdf assets 2025
- $70 billion
- Crypto via self directed window
- 75%
- Private credit likelihood 2024 to 2026
- 1.7 to 2.6 (scale of 1-4)
- Private equity likelihood 2024 to 2026
- 1.6 to 2.2 (scale of 1-4)
- Financial wellness in retainer 2026 vs 2023
- 47% vs 29%
AI analysis
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AI-generated analysis of a public disclosure. Not investment advice; verify against the original document.