Goldman Sachs investment banking chief on using AI for client meetings

Posnett herself utilizes AI to accelerate the synthesis of information when preparing for client meetings, which allows her to dedicate more time to higher-level strategic thinking, a practice she observes among many senior bankers. She believes that AI also better prepares junior bankers for client meetings, thereby accelerating the apprenticeship culture that is fundamental to Goldman Sachs' identity. According to Posnett, the firm's youngest analysts can now allocate more time to learning by observing complex conversations and how senior bankers navigate high-stakes decisions.

Goldman Sachs invests significantly in technology, with CEO David Solomon encouraging interns to experiment with AI. Posnett advocates for young professionals across industries to follow this advice, aiming to learn faster, prepare more effectively, and focus on higher-value tasks. For investment banking analysts at Goldman Sachs, this often involves expediting research processes, such as summarizing earnings calls or analyzing industry trends.

However, Posnett stressed the importance for junior bankers to strike a balance between mastering AI tools and relying on them. She advised them to learn how the technology works, experiment with it, and understand its productivity benefits. Crucially, she emphasized investing in uniquely human skills that AI struggles to replicate, such as asking insightful questions, developing sound judgment, effective communication, relationship building, and earning trust.

Posnett recently outlined five key pieces of advice for Goldman's incoming analysts and associates regarding AI usage: mastering the technical fundamentals of investment banking, honing the ability to ask better questions, judiciously utilizing the time freed up by AI, embracing accelerated apprenticeship, and cultivating distinctly human qualities essential in business. She also underscored that while AI can automate many traditionally tedious early-career tasks in investment banking, such as creating slide decks and building models, a foundational understanding of the job's basics remains indispensable. Posnett concluded that there is no substitute for developing technical expertise, judgment, and a deep comprehension of markets, clients, and businesses, as understanding AI-generated answers requires a solid grasp of the underlying concepts, which can only be built through experience and repetition.