TL;DR
Get smart everyday buys delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Investing.com ranked California first in its AI Investing Index, which measures state-level use of AI for investment research and engagement with AI-focused stocks over 12 months, adjusted for audience size. Ohio and Colorado tied for second, while New York ranked 13th; Florida led on research activity and Pennsylvania on AI-stock engagement.
California ranks first in Investing.com’s new analysis of where U.S. investors use AI for investment-related activity, while Ohio and Colorado tie for second and New York places 13th. The index draws on 12 months of user activity and measures both AI-assisted investment research and engagement with AI-focused stocks, adjusted for each state’s audience size.
Florida and Texas round out the top five, according to Investing.com’s ranking. Utah, Hawaii, Michigan and Minnesota also appear in the top 10. New Jersey ranks 27th. The release does not provide the underlying state scores in its summary, so the size of the gaps between states cannot be assessed from the published findings alone.
The two activity measures produced different state leaders. Florida recorded the highest AI-assisted investment research activity among states included in the analysis, while Pennsylvania had the strongest engagement with AI-focused stocks. Investing.com says users’ research activity covered subjects including stock statistics, technical analysis, company news, economic events, dividends and financial statements.
The company also cited a separate March 2026 survey in which 62% of U.S. retail investors said they had used AI to help inform an investment decision. More than half said they expected their use to increase. The release does not identify the survey sample size or provide details about how respondents were selected.
AI Investing Extends Beyond Finance Hubs
The ranking suggests that AI-related investing activity is not concentrated only in traditional financial centers. California’s first-place position fits its role as a major technology hub, but the high rankings for Ohio, Colorado and Florida show activity across states with different economic and financial profiles. New York’s 13th-place result offers a contrast with its status as the center of the U.S. financial industry.
That pattern matters to investors and financial firms watching how retail investors find and use information. If AI tools make investment research more accessible, they could change where people turn for analysis and how they evaluate markets. However, the index measures activity on Investing.com, not the accuracy of AI-assisted research, the quality of investment decisions or financial returns. It does not establish that AI use improves outcomes.
Investing.com Senior Analyst Thomas Monteiro characterized the activity as evidence of investors doing more research and gaining access to information that had previously been harder for retail investors to reach. That is the analyst’s interpretation of the data, rather than a result the index independently proves.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How the State Index Was Built
Investing.com says its AI Investing Index combines two kinds of user activity: use of AI for investment research and engagement with stocks focused on AI. The company says it analyzed 12 months of activity across the United States and adjusted results for audience size in each state. The published summary does not explain the precise weighting of the measures or provide a detailed methodology.
The release places the U.S. state ranking within a broader international analysis. Among 66 qualifying countries, the United States ranked 19th; Italy, Poland, Israel, Chile and Argentina formed the global top five. The country ranking uses a wider comparison and should not be treated as directly equivalent to the U.S. state results.
The report arrives amid wider adoption of AI tools by retail investors, according to the separate survey cited by Investing.com. Its 62% figure reflects respondents who said they had used AI to inform an investment decision, not a measure of how often they used it or whether they relied on it to make a trade.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Scores and Methods Still Unpublished
The release does not state the exact dates covered by the 12-month period, publish state-by-state index scores in its summary or explain how research activity and AI-stock engagement are weighted. Without those details, readers cannot determine how far apart the ranked states are or independently reproduce the results.
The data also do not show whether users’ AI-assisted research led to trades, changed investment decisions or affected returns. Investing.com’s analysis concerns activity on its platform, and the release does not establish that it represents all U.S. investors. Details about the separate March 2026 survey—including its sample size and methodology—are also not included in the announcement.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Full Dataset Could Add Detail
Investing.com points readers to its full U.S. ranking and underlying AI Investing Index data. Those materials may provide more detail about state scores and the index’s calculations than the news release’s summary. The company has not announced a schedule for a follow-up analysis in the material provided.
For now, the confirmed findings are the ranking positions and the distinct state leaders for research activity and AI-stock engagement. Further assessment of what the results mean for investor behavior will depend on access to the methodology and data, as well as evidence beyond platform activity.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
Which state ranked first for AI-related investing activity?
California ranked first in Investing.com’s index, which combines activity related to AI-assisted investment research and engagement with AI-focused stocks.
Which states tied for second?
Ohio and Colorado tied for second, followed by Florida and Texas in the top five.
Which states led the two separate activity measures?
Florida led in AI-assisted investment research, while Pennsylvania led in engagement with AI-focused stocks, according to Investing.com.
How did New York rank?
New York ranked 13th, outside the top 10. New Jersey ranked 27th.
Does the ranking show that AI improves investment results?
No. The index measures user activity, not investment performance. The published findings do not establish that AI-assisted research improves decisions or returns.
Source: primary
Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day Picks
long weekend sales
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
