Tiffine Wang is a global venture capitalist focused on AI and tech, along with board advisory.

Welcome to 2025! Putting my corporate hat aside for a moment, I’ve recently been spending more time with serial entrepreneurs at the inception stage, which has been a truly refreshing experience. These startups, driven by strong engineering teams, experiment and iterate on AI technologies at a pace that far outstrips larger corporations, where change often feels more incremental. The agility of small, focused teams enables rapid testing and translates into much quicker adoption of new technologies. So, when considering AI adoption, it’s critical to understand the environment in which you’re operating. (On another note, for those interested, it’s also becoming easier to code and build now.) 

In industries like financial services, AI is reshaping roles across companies of all sizes. Some jobs may disappear, while others will see their responsibilities evolve. Here’s a closer look at six key financial services roles that might change as AI’s influence grows.

Financial Analyst

Traditionally, financial analysts spend countless hours gathering data, building models and assessing risks. With AI taking on much of this heavy lifting, one person can now potentially handle the tasks of several people. AI tools can process vast amounts of market data in seconds, flagging emerging trends and risks. This can free up analysts to focus on interpreting insights and making strategic decisions. 

A key hurdle for many organizations is determining how to adopt AI effectively. Some analysts may resist using AI tools because they feel too reliant on technology or fear it undermines their expertise. But as AI becomes more integrated, those who embrace it will not only work more efficiently but will be able to deliver deeper, data-driven insights that were previously unimaginable.

Investment Banker

AI is revolutionizing investment banking by automating tasks like market analysis, financial modeling, and due diligence, enabling bankers to focus more on providing strategic insights. For example, AI can quickly analyze vast amounts of data, highlighting trends and risks, which empowers bankers to make more informed decisions faster.

By embracing AI, investment bankers can streamline data-heavy tasks and shift their focus to delivering high-level strategic advice, negotiating deals and identifying growth opportunities. Those who use AI to enhance their decision-making will be better equipped to navigate complex markets and provide more valuable insights to clients.

Venture Capitalist

As AI takes over tasks like identifying trends, assessing startup potential and conducting market research, some of the traditional roles of associates may be replaced by AI assistants. These AI tools can quickly analyze vast amounts of data, generate insights and even provide recommendations, allowing partners to handle many of the tasks associates once managed. With this shift, partners may be able to do much more on their own and focus on high-level strategy. As a result, they may be able to guide portfolio companies and make decisions faster and more efficiently.

Consequently, the need for teams of associates may diminish as AI can scale the work of multiple people. Partners will be able to leverage AI to manage the data-driven aspects of the roles, allowing them to concentrate on the more strategic, human-centered aspects of venture capital, such as building relationships, advising on growth and navigating complex challenges. While associates will still play a role, their tasks will likely evolve to focus on more specialized, judgment-driven areas that AI cannot replicate (for now). 

Compliance Officer

With AI handling routine tasks like fraud detection and flagging regulatory violations, the role of the compliance officer may shift from checking boxes to ensuring AI systems operate ethically, comply with regulations and align with company values.

As AI becomes more integrated, compliance officers may need to have a deeper understanding of data science to effectively oversee AI-driven processes. A background in data science can help them better assess AI models, ensure transparency and manage risks associated with algorithmic decision-making. This expertise will be crucial in ensuring that AI is used responsibly, remains compliant with evolving regulations and aligns with legal and ethical standards. The role of the compliance officer may expand to navigate the complexity of AI adoption, requiring a blend of regulatory knowledge and technical understanding.

Chief Financial Officer

As this role evolves, AI simplifies scenario planning by analyzing financial data, simulating market conditions and predicting outcomes. With the right data, CFOs can quickly evaluate risks and make more informed decisions. They also can react more quickly to economic shifts or mergers.

AI will also integrate more deeply across departments, providing a holistic view of the organization’s performance. This may help CFOs align financial decisions with broader business goals, optimize workflows,and drive cross-functional strategies.

While AI enhances decision-making, CFOs will still need to fact check and validate AI-driven insights. The human elements of judgment, leadership and vision remain essential to ensure decisions align with the company’s values and objectives.

Chief Executive Officer

As AI touches every aspect of the business — from operations to customer experience — CEOs will need to guide their organizations through this technological shift. 

The future CEO will balance the potential of AI with the human elements that drive company culture, vision and strategy. AI can help CEOs make data-driven decisions, optimize resources, and drive efficiency, but they will still be responsible for setting the direction for the company and ensuring that AI aligns with the organization’s long-term goals. 

The role of the CEO will become even more strategic, with a focus on how to integrate AI into the broader vision for the company.

Over time, as technology advances, some of these roles will be heavily augmented by AI assistants. At some point, elements of these jobs may be replaced by AI agents. While today’s focus is on enhancement, AI’s evolution may soon allow it to handle tasks requiring human judgment, challenging us to rethink the nature of work and career development. 

The potential for full automation raises important questions about the skills we value and how we prepare for an AI-driven future. It’s up to us to shape this transformation thoughtfully.