Goldman Sachs is paving the way for the next generation of finance leaders to shape the future of AI in the workplace. The bank hires about 2,500 to 3,000 interns each summer. For the 2025 internship class, Goldman received more than 360,000 applications—a 15% increase from last year. With an acceptance rate of just 0.7% this year, the program is highly competitive and serves as a pipeline for permanent positions. Marco Argenti, Goldman’s chief information officer, argues that companies should empower young professionals with AI skills to help shape strategy. While some predict agentic AI—autonomous systems that can perform tasks and make independent decisions—will displace junior roles, Argenti says the reality is more nuanced. Early-career workers are more essential than ever because they are “AI natives,” having grown up with generative AI and being uniquely equipped to adapt to and shape its future. Goldman recently launched its GS AI Assistant, an internal AI program that enables employees to interact with large language models securely firewalled within the company, reducing the risk of sensitive data leaks. The AI will be used for efficiency gains, the company said. Research shows that AI adoption among desk workers is accelerating. According to Salesforce’s latest Slack Workforce Index, a survey of 5,000 global desk workers found that daily AI users are 64% more productive and 81% more satisfied with their jobs than non-users. More than 95% of workers have used AI to perform tasks they previously lacked the skills to do themselves, and workers are now 154% more likely to use AI agents to enhance their performance and creativity rather than simply automate tasks, according to the findings. Notably, millennials are emerging as the leading AI power users at work: 30% say they thoroughly understand AI agents, surpassing even Gen Z (22%). As AI continues to redefine the workplace, companies like Goldman Sachs highlight the potential benefits of empowering AI natives. “How to Get ROI from AI in the Finance Function” is a report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The research finds that teams achieving strong ROI prioritize value from the outset, rather than pursuing learning for its own sake. Instead of focusing on isolated use cases, they adopt a broad, transformational approach. What sets outperforming organizations apart are the implementation tactics they use and the use cases they prioritize, according to the survey findings. Out of more than 30 implementation tactics that BCG tested, 10 stood out as the most successful—including integrating AI and generative AI into the overall finance transformation, systematic tracking, developing a clear data strategy, and focusing on quick wins.