California Leads U.S. AI Investing Index as Ohio and Colorado Outrank New York

California ranked first in a new U.S. artificial intelligence investing index, while Ohio and Colorado tied for second. The findings indicate that investor engagement with AI-powered financial research is extending beyond established technology and financial centers, with New York placing 13th.

According to the AI Investing Index, analyzed by Investing.com, the research examined 12 months of anonymized user activity, combining engagement with AI-powered investment research tools and interest in AI-related stocks. Activity was adjusted for each state’s platform audience, allowing comparisons across markets of different sizes. The results measure user engagement rather than investment performance.

California Leads, but AI Investment Activity Is Geographically Diverse

California recorded approximately 321 interactions with Investing.com’s WarrenAI research assistant per 1,000 platform users and 4.44 AI-focused stock content views per 1,000 users.

Ohio and Colorado each received an overall index score of 87.5, followed by Florida and Texas.

Ohio generated approximately 318 WarrenAI interactions per 1,000 users, while Colorado recorded 276. Colorado nevertheless registered stronger engagement with AI-focused stock content, at 4.51 views per 1,000 users.

The findings illustrate differences between investors actively using AI research tools and those researching publicly traded companies exposed to artificial intelligence.

According to state-by-state AI investing analysis, Florida led specifically in WarrenAI usage, while Pennsylvania recorded the strongest engagement with AI-related equities.

New York’s 13th-place position is notable given its concentration of investment banks, asset managers and financial institutions.

However, the ranking reflects Investing.com’s audience rather than the entire investing population and does not establish that investors in higher-ranked states make better decisions.

Retail Investors Are Incorporating AI Into Financial Research

The index follows a March 2026 survey cited by Investing.com in which 62% of U.S. retail investors reported using AI to inform an investment decision.

More than half had used an AI chatbot for investing-related research, while 30.6% reported using AI-powered research or stock-screening tools.

Investors are applying the technology to company financial statements, technical analysis, economic developments, dividends and market news.

These activities represent a change in how investment information is accessed, although AI-generated research still requires independent verification.

The index does not establish whether AI use improved portfolio returns, reduced investment risk or resulted in actual securities transactions.

Private Markets Could Benefit From AI-Powered Research

The implications extend beyond publicly traded equities.

Private equity, venture capital and private credit investors face additional information challenges because private companies generally disclose less financial information than listed businesses.

AI-assisted research could help investors organize company information, evaluate comparable businesses and conduct preliminary due diligence. However, proprietary financial records, valuations and contractual restrictions still require specialist review.

PE NEWSWIRE previously examined this development in its coverage of Nasdaq Private Market’s AI investment agent, which combines private-company research with access to investment opportunities.

Unlike conventional stock-screening applications, private-market platforms must also address investor eligibility, transaction documentation, limited liquidity and company-specific restrictions.

Another example is Terminal X’s collaboration with OpenAI to develop institutional AI workflows, designed to integrate investment research with proprietary information and organizational processes.

These developments illustrate potential applications for AI across institutional investment operations, although they are separate from the retail-investor activity measured by Investing.com.

US Ranks 19th in Global AI Investing Activity

Investing.com’s international AI Investing Index placed the United States 19th among 66 qualifying countries, despite its position as a major center for AI development and investment.

Italy, Poland, Israel, Chile and Argentina occupied the top five positions.

The global analysis recorded approximately 534 WarrenAI interactions and 7.79 AI-focused stock page views per 1,000 U.S. platform users, according to Investing.com’s international AI investing rankings.

These results suggest that engagement with AI investing tools is not necessarily proportional to a country’s financial-market size or technology-sector prominence.

For alternative asset managers and wealth platforms, the relevant commercial opportunity lies in whether AI can improve research efficiency, investor education and access to investment information.

The index provides evidence of user engagement, but not proof of improved investment outcomes or institutional adoption.