North American Family Offices Pivot to AI Amid Generational Wealth Shift

The report highlights a marked shift in sentiment following a robust 2025 performance, during which every major asset class yielded positive returns. This success has prompted 84% of family offices to project that their direct private equity investments will meet or exceed last year’s results over the next five years. While established dynasties grapple with succession planning—with half reporting incomplete or non-existent strategies—a new wave of wealth creators is emerging, evidenced by the fact that one in five offices has been established within the last six years.

Technological transformation, particularly the integration of Artificial Intelligence, remains a primary focus. Roughly 85% of respondents identify AI as their top investment priority for the coming year, using it both as an asset and a tool for operational efficiency. However, this digital expansion brings heightened vulnerability; concern over cybersecurity and data breaches has spiked dramatically, with 59% of offices citing it as a top operational risk, compared to just 16% last year. As liquidity remains a defining metric for portfolio health, families are increasingly prioritizing patient capital to navigate market cycles, even as they formalize their philanthropic values into their core investment strategies.