AI's Effect on Entry-Level Finance Jobs: Transformation or Elimination?

Published Date : 24/10/2025 

The adoption of AI in finance is expected to transform rather than eliminate entry-level roles, according to experts. Junior analysts will likely take on more sophisticated tasks while automation handles routine work. 

Efforts to automate entry-level tasks in finance won’t necessarily eliminate these roles, Fortune reported on Wednesday (Oct. 22). Instead, the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions will likely transform these roles, according to the report.

While automation will eliminate much of the work junior analysts now do on spreadsheets, financial models, and pitch decks, these analysts will likely be assigned more sophisticated work, such as building more complex financial models or performing more quantitative analysis, Shawn DuBravac, CEO of Avrio Institute, told Fortune. These are skills that junior analysts traditionally learned later in their careers, DuBravac said.

“I could see headcounts staying mostly flat, but at the same time, workloads will become lighter in some areas and heavier in others,” DuBravac said, per the report.

Ram Srinivasan, managing director of consulting at JLL, told Fortune that AI will give analysts “superpowers.” “Analysts become reviewers and customizers rather than builders from scratch, allowing each person to support more deals simultaneously,” Srinivasan said, per the report.

Fortune interviewed these experts in response to a Tuesday (Oct. 21) report from Bloomberg that said OpenAI is working with former investment bankers to train AI models to handle the industry’s entry-level tasks. According to the Bloomberg report, the company has hired more than 100 former investment bankers from firms like Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley to help its AI models learn how to build and interpret financial models.

The report said the project is part of OpenAI’s effort to move beyond consumer chatbots and into enterprise use cases that generate steady, high-value revenue. When PYMNTS looked into “AI’s great jobs debate” in September, it was reported that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in May that AI could displace 70% of all jobs. Also during May, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said the technology could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs and create unemployment of 10% to 20% within the next one to five years.

Citi said in June 2024 that 54% of jobs in the banking sector have a higher potential for automation, while another 12% could be augmented by AI. The bank said other industries with a high potential for automation include insurance (46%), energy (43%), and capital markets (40%). 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the main impact of AI on entry-level finance roles?

A: AI is expected to transform entry-level finance roles by automating routine tasks and allowing junior analysts to take on more sophisticated work.

Q: How are junior analysts expected to benefit from AI adoption?

A: Junior analysts will likely gain more advanced skills earlier in their careers and take on more complex tasks, such as building sophisticated financial models and performing quantitative analysis.

Q: What is OpenAI's role in this transformation?

A: OpenAI is working with former investment bankers to train AI models to handle entry-level tasks in finance, aiming to move beyond consumer chatbots and into enterprise use cases.

Q: What are the potential long-term effects of AI on the job market in finance?

A: While some jobs may be automated, AI is expected to create new roles that require more advanced skills, potentially leading to a shift in the types of jobs available rather than a net loss.

Q: How do experts view the future of headcounts in the finance sector with AI adoption?

A: Experts predict that headcounts may remain mostly flat, with workloads becoming lighter in some areas and heavier in others as AI takes over routine tasks. 

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