Those wondering how AI will transform Wall Street might want to take a look at Goldman’s latest intern survey.
AI experimentation may be the norm, but the more than 2,100 interns Goldman surveyed are increasingly resistant to the technology in certain corners of their lives.
“One of the clearest takeaways from this year’s survey is that being digital natives doesn’t mean being digital-only,” Jacqueline Arthur, Goldman’s global head of human capital management, said in a statement, adding that interns see technology as a tool rather than a substitute. “That’s an encouraging signal for the future workforce and future leaders.”
More than half of them prefer to learn about the technology through direct experimentation, compared to 21% who opt for online articles. When asked how they most frequently use AI in their personal lives, 64% said “learning/self-teaching.” Supporting writing and checking code were the next most frequent use cases, at 36% and 27%, respectively.
Yet interns are increasingly wary of AI touching creative work, like art, music, and books. Some 60% of respondents said they’d prefer no AI involvement there, up from 54% last year. They’re in good company, as some artists have condemned the use of AI in art, and Gen Zers are gravitating toward in-person experiences amid the AI slopmageddon.
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When it comes to their own finances, though, 71% of respondents said they were okay with some AI assistance for budgeting and investment advice, up a notch from 70% last year.
Despite their “AI native” status, Goldman interns still place a premium on human relationships and mentorship. Around 42% said they prefer in-person collaboration, and the most-cited benefit of coming to the office was forming spontaneous connections. The interns also said their best learning happens in the real world — 26% said they prefer trying something out “hands-on,” compared to 13% who said they’d opt for AI-assisted learning.
Outside work
Goldman’s interns are betting on themselves, in and out of work — 63% said they’re “very optimistic” about their personal futures, and, like last year, nearly 100% of the respondents said they want to have a long-term relationship and own a home. They’re a bit less optimistic when it comes to the rest of the country, though, with the biggest sliver of respondents, 31%, “neutral” about the jobs market.
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Interns still enjoy hanging out with friends and working out, and their reading list included some repeat classic titles, like “1984” and “The Great Gatsby.”
Other top books were almost comically fitting. If you saw a 20-something-year-old sweating in their suit on the subway and reading “The Psychology of Money,” they might have been heading to Goldman.
