Navigating the Future of Investments: Predictors of Intention to Adopt Financial Robo-Advisors in Saudi Arabia

Digital financial technologies (fintech) have rapidly reshaped the global investment landscape. This paper aims to explore and predict Saudi consumers’ behavioral intention to adopt financial robo-advisors by examining key technological, social, psychological, and cultural factors. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was extended by incorporating social (subjective norms), psychological (trust), and cultural (religiosity) factors, alongside financial knowledge and perceived intelligence as external antecedents. Data were collected using a structured survey from 283 respondents in Saudi Arabia and analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM). The findings suggest that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness are positively and significantly associated with attitudes toward financial robo-advisors. Attitude, together with subjective norms, trust, and religiosity, is positively and significantly associated with behavioral intention. In addition, financial knowledge and perceived intelligence are positively associated with perceptions of ease of use and usefulness. The study highlights technology acceptance factors alongside AI-related perceptions, financial knowledge, as well as psychological and socio-cultural aspects of robo-advisor adoption intentions in emerging markets, offering practical insights for encouraging digital investment adoption and enhancing financial planning.