One in three Irish are more honest about money with AI than other people

• 36% of Irish users say they are more honest about money with AI than with other people, highlighting its role as a judgement-free financial sounding board
• Nearly half (49%) already use AI to make financial decisions, with many turning to it during moments of financial stress
• This openness translates into real impact, with one in three saying AI helped them save money in the past year

Dublin, 23rd March 2026 – According to a recent survey by bunq, Europe’s second-largest neobank, more than a third of Irish users say they are more honest about money with AI than with other people; pointing to a shift in how people seek financial guidance.

The study, which surveyed 1,000 Irish respondents, shows that 36% of consumers feel more comfortable opening up to AI about their spending, while a further 37% say they are just as honest with AI as they would be with another person.

This growing openness suggests that AI is becoming more than just a practical tool, it is emerging as a judgement-free space where users feel more comfortable confronting their financial habits.

“People often start using AI in a very practical way, before they trust it emotionally. That psychological distance — almost like opening up to a stranger on a train — can make it easier to be honest about money, which in turn brings the real benefit: saving more of it. Over time, as people test the advice and see what works, the relationship shifts. It starts to feel like a thinking partner rather than a calculator,” said Dr. Nick Hobson, behavioural scientist and Consulting Director at Influence at Work. 

“And that opening up may travel further than the AI conversation itself. It works like a sort of social gym. It offers a low-stakes space to rehearse the tricky conversations, asking for a raise, setting financial boundaries with family, without the fear of judgment that comes with the real thing. Once people experience what honesty about their finances actually produces, the barrier to having those conversations with other people gets lower. The practice spills over, and they show up to the human conversation a little more prepared, and a little less afraid.” 

This sense of psychological safety is translating into real-world impact. Nearly half (49%) of Irish users have already used AI to support a personal finance decision, with many turning to it in moments of financial stress.

For many, the results are tangible. One in three respondents say AI helped them save money in the past year, with more than a quarter of those reporting savings of over €500.

Joe Wilson, Chief Evangelist at bunq, said: “It’s a dynamic time. People are increasingly turning to AI for help with everyday decisions - and it only works when it’s genuinely built around their lives. Whether it’s understanding your money or making more informed choices, the value comes from reducing friction, not adding more noise. The real impact happens when AI moves beyond being just another feature and becomes something people actually rely on, because it consistently makes things easier.” 

As users grow more comfortable opening up to AI, trust remains closely linked to established financial institutions. Two-thirds of respondents say they trust AI tools developed by their bank more than generic chatbots, highlighting the role of institutional trust in turning curiosity into action.

Internationally, Ireland is emerging as one of the stronger adopters of financial AI. Irish users are already ahead of those in the UK and the United States when it comes to integrating AI  into everyday financial life.

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^{About the survey}

^{The survey was conducted by Pollfish on behalf of bunq in February 2026, with 7,000 respondents across 7 countries: France (1,000), Germany (1,000), Ireland (1,000), the Netherlands (1,000), Spain (1,000), the United Kingdom (1,000) and the United States (1,000).  The objective was to understand public perception of AI in finance including the extent to which people have adopted AI tools for money management, the benefits and concerns they associate with them, and how AI is influencing the way they think about and organise their finances.}

^{About bunq} 

^{bunq, Europe’s second-largest neobank, has rebuilt banking from the ground up. As the world’s first GenAI-powered bank, bunq’s proprietary AI powers every part of the business, from helping users with their finances, to being baked into bunq’s own operations. By developing a product rooted in its users’ wants and needs, bunq makes life easy for location-independent people and businesses, starting from the way they manage money: how they spend, save, budget and invest.}

^{Pioneering many things considered impossible, bunq was the first bank to get a European banking permit in over 35 years, raised the largest series A round ever secured by a European fintech (€193 million), and was the first EU neobank to achieve structural profitability. As part of its mission to build the first global neobank, in October 2025 bunq also took its first step into the US as an approved broker-dealer, with more expansion to follow. Learn more: www.bunq.com}