UBS is set to make AI competence a condition of employment for new hires, according to a Financial Times report picked up by heise online. From 2027, applicants for investment-banking positions will need to demonstrate how they use AI to improve outcomes and efficiency. The requirement supplements rather than replaces classical qualifications — and candidates will be asked how they have used AI so far.
The Swiss bank is said to be going further than its rivals with the policy. Spain's Santander, by contrast, has already advertised some roles specifically for "advanced AI users". The move underscores how deeply AI has penetrated traditional banking careers: lenders already deploy AI tools for routine work once done by junior staff, including financial analysis, research and the preparation of presentations. In May, the FT reported that UBS had begun creating avatars of its own analysts for client-facing videos, freeing employees for other tasks.
The report does not say whether the new requirement will reduce overall hiring at UBS. It does cite a Morgan Stanley analysis from earlier this year projecting that European banking could shed ten percent of its workforce — more than 210,000 jobs — by 2030, driven by expected efficiency gains of around 30 percent as well as further branch closures.
