OpenAI Recruits Wall Street Talent to Train AI in Financial Tasks
OpenAI has discreetly onboarded over 100 former Wall Street analysts and associates to refine its AI models for financial workflows. Dubbed Project Mercury, the initiative compensates participants—drawn from JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and elite academic institutions—at $150 hourly to simulate junior banking tasks. These include Excel modeling, financial summarization, and slide deck updates, with weekly submissions required to benchmark AI performance against industry standards.
The project employs an AI chatbot for candidate screening, followed by financial competency tests. Selected contributors gain early access to OpenAI's developmental tools, receiving iterative feedback to enhance the system's grasp of banking analysis and documentation. The effort underscores a strategic push to bridge AI capabilities with high-stakes financial decision-making.
