Should you ask AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini to manage your salaries better?

AI can help with budgeting, investment tips—but best to leave complex finances to humans

Last updated: July 12, 2025 | 05:05

2 MIN READ

Using AI finance apps can be smart for tracking spending, setting savings goals, and receiving basic investment ideas.

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Dubai: In the UAE’s fast-evolving digital finance landscape, AI apps like ChatGPT and Gemini are gaining traction for personal finance—so much so that people are asking them their salary and expenses to get budgeting help. But can AI really replace a human financial advisor?

What AI does well

Automated budgeting, expense tracking: AI tools categorize UAE dirham spending, track bills, subscriptions, and help set basic budgets.
Smart financial nudges: Automated reminders for payments, portfolio checks, and basic calculations streamline everyday money management.
Starter financial planning: AI can recommend saving amounts for retirement or debt repayment by analysing user income data.
Fraud alerts: Advanced AI models flag unusual transactions—ideal for preventing unauthorised spending.

These tools excel at fast data processing, trend spotting, and helping users cut back on unnecessary expenses or subscriptions.

Also Read: US woman pays off $23,000 credit card debt by using ChatGPT

Where AI falls short

No tailored advice: AI lacks emotional insight and personal context—crucial for UAE expats or those with family-based financial goals.
Poor at complex scenarios: Buying a villa in Abu Dhabi, planning for kids’ education, or facing unexpected events demands human expertise.
No emotional support: AI doesn't offer empathy during financial stress or market volatility.
Ethical blind spots: Algorithms depend on past data, not moral or cultural judgement—potentially misaligned with ethical investing.

UAE context

AI finance tools are gaining adoption—from Dubai millennials to Abu Dhabi SMEs—eager for convenience. In Forbes’ recent survey, using AI for finance was the second-most popular use case, after simple queries.

Some innovative apps even gamify budgeting with progress bars, automated savings transfers, and smart AI alerts—bringing a fresh, engaging twist to managing money in the UAE.

Also Read: When you should (and shouldn’t) rely on ChatGPT for answers

Expert take

Fintech experts emphasize that AI excels as a tool for simplifying investing and handling routine financial tasks—but it lacks the human insight needed for major decisions, such as buying a home or planning for retirement.

Using AI finance apps can be smart for tracking spending, setting savings goals, and receiving basic investment ideas. But for long-term planning, life-changing events, or big financial decisions, UAE residents are still better off consulting qualified financial advisors who can adapt to life’s twists and personal values.

In short—AI can guide your daily dirham decisions, but for the roadmap to your future, you still need a trusted human partner.

Justin VargheseYour Money Editor

Justin is a personal finance author and seasoned business journalist with over a decade of experience. He makes it his mission to break down complex financial topics and make them clear, relatable, and relevant—helping everyday readers navigate today’s economy with confidence. Before returning to his Middle Eastern roots, where he was born and raised, Justin worked as a Business Correspondent at Reuters, reporting on equities and economic trends across both the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions.