Preparing the Next Generation: How Trust, Gender, and Academic Performance Shape Financial Planning Students' AI Adoption

ABSTRACT Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly incorporated into financial planning education, raising important questions about how future professionals will engage with these tools. This exploratory quantitative study applies Human‐Automation Interaction (HAI) theory to examine how undergraduate financial planning students' trust in ChatGPT, demographic characteristics, and academic performance relate to patterns of AI usage and reliance in the educational context. Non‐parametric tests were used to analyze a primary data set of 60 undergraduate students enrolled in financial planning courses. Results indicate that trust in ChatGPT positively correlates with increased usage frequency and greater reliance on AI for financial advice. Female students report significantly higher usage of ChatGPT than male students, while a lower GPA is associated with a greater reliance on AI for financial advice. These findings offer insights into workforce development in financial planning education, highlighting the importance of trust calibration, gender‐responsive training, and thoughtful AI integration.