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Is it safe to use AI to manage your personal finances?

By
Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield
Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield
Reporter/Anchor
Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield loves sharing the good news. She hosts a show on Sunday mornings based on local "positivity and empowerment," leading right into CBS Sunday Morning.
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Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield

/ CBS Minnesota

They are a popular way to keep track of your money, but are AI tools worth the risk?

According to TD STORIES, as of early 2026, more than 55% of Americans reported using AI to help with financial management decisions.

Dr. Manjeet Rege, an AI expert who teaches at the University of St. Thomas, said AI "could be your co-pilot but should not be your autopilot when investing your money."

"Personal finance and investing is personal for a reason, and AI is pretty generic," he said.

Rege said there are three reasons using robots to crunch numbers can be helpful.

"AI is excellent when it comes to making budgets, analyzing patterns and running 'what-if' scenarios," he said.

It can also translate or summarize complicated information, but Rege warned that privacy of your information could be at stake.

"You certainly don't want your financial statements uploaded to a cloud. AI has a long memory and certainly you do not want that information to be given away," he said.

Rege says it is safe to type in your general salary and use what-if scenarios "to calculate expenses, forecast monthly cashflow and plan for big purchases down the road."

But he says it's not personalized, so he suggests have a person involved.

"AI may certainly replace spreadsheets, but not your financial advisor," he said.

Rege says to treat AI like a calculator and use it to get numbers — but remember it doesn't know the full context of your life priorities. 

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