Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping industries, lifestyles, and wealth accumulation across the globe — and the world’s richest are no exception. In fact, several newcomers to Forbes’ 2025 World’s Billionaires list owe their rising fortunes to AI-powered ventures.
Among the more unique adopters is LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, who created an AI clone of himself and hosted a conversation with it, aptly titled “Me, Myself and (A)I.” In contrast, veteran investor Warren Buffett remains wary, comparing AI to a genie out of the bottle that “scares the hell out of me.”
To better understand how billionaires are engaging with AI, Forbes conducted a survey involving some of the world’s wealthiest individuals, with an average respondent age of 66. The findings revealed that 65% use AI in their personal lives, while 77% have incorporated it into their business operations.
Eric Lefkofsky, cofounder of Groupon and CEO of healthtech firm Tempus AI, admitted, “I can’t get through the day without talking to ChatGPT five times.” He added that Tempus restructured itself to be “generative AI first,” which has significantly driven both company growth and improvements in patient outcomes.
Of the 45 billionaires who responded to the survey, 43 answered questions about personal AI use, while 40 responded about business applications. Twenty-seven of them reported using AI chatbots, with 23 naming ChatGPT specifically.
Twelve billionaires said they currently use AI-powered virtual assistants—suggesting that Bill Gates’ 2023 prediction that such tools would be mainstream within five years is becoming a reality.
Notable names employing AI robotics in their businesses include Florida real estate mogul David Hoffmann, Indian auto parts magnate Anurang Jain, French logistics tycoon Eric Hemar, Koch Industries co-CEO Charles Koch, and five anonymous respondents.
However, not everyone is onboard. Nine billionaires said they do not use AI in their businesses at all. This group includes finance tycoon Stephen Smith, car dealer Norman Braman, industrialist Harsh Goenka, and homebuilder Patrick Neal. Neal emphasized his preference for tangible contributions, stating, “A home is something you can touch — that’s what matters to me.”
In summary, while the majority of billionaires are already capitalizing on the potential of AI, a notable minority remain cautious, underscoring the varied spectrum of adoption at the highest levels of wealth and influence.
