OpenAI要让AI替代“初级投行员工”

Core Insights - OpenAI is conducting a unique experiment called "Mercury," hiring over 100 former investment banking employees to train its AI models in financial modeling and other core skills [1][2] - The project aims to teach AI how to perform tasks typically done by junior bankers, raising concerns about the future job security of entry-level positions in the finance industry [1][2] Group 1: Project Details - The "Mercury" project has recruited professionals from top financial institutions, including JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs, as well as talent from Brookfield Corp., Mubadala Investment Co., Evercore Inc., and KKR & Co. [2] - Participants are paid $150 per hour and are required to submit a financial model each week, using simple language to write prompts and executing them in Microsoft Excel [2] - The application process for participants involves minimal human intervention, including a 20-minute interview with an AI chatbot and tests on financial statement knowledge and modeling skills [3] Group 2: AI Learning Focus - The project emphasizes the importance of attention to detail, as junior analysts often work long hours and handle tedious tasks, such as building complex merger models in Excel [4] - According to Bloomberg columnist Matt Levine, the meticulous nature of investment banking is crucial for AI to learn, as even minor formatting errors can lead to significant trust issues [5] - Levine describes the current generative AI as "smart but careless," suggesting that the project is a form of reinforcement learning to instill the necessary attention to detail in AI [5] Group 3: Implications for the Industry - The direct goal of the "Mercury" project is to enable AI to replace the work of junior employees, raising questions about the future of the traditional apprenticeship model in investment banking [6] - Historically, junior analysts have learned skills through foundational work, but if AI takes over these tasks, it may hinder the development of future leaders in the industry [6] - The high turnover rate in investment banking means that many former analysts may not feel burdened by the prospect of training AI to replace their previous roles [6] Group 4: OpenAI's Strategic Focus - The "Mercury" project reflects OpenAI's broader commercialization strategy, targeting the lucrative financial services sector to demonstrate the value of its technology in complex business environments [7] - Despite its high valuation, OpenAI has yet to achieve profitability, prompting the company to actively explore enterprise markets [7] - The initiative indicates OpenAI's ambition to develop specialized AI tools that can be deeply integrated into corporate workflows, aiming for a significant position in the global business landscape [7]