Tech

Banking giant UBS wants all new employees to have AI skills

Published

1 hour ago

7 September 2026

NewsAdmin

2027 UBS recruits told they must have AI proficiency and a willingness to learn
The bank’s AI Fluency Pathway will continue to support junior workers’ development
While thousands of jobs could be at risk, we’re starting to see shifts rather than outright displacement

Swiss investment giant UBS is now requiring all junior bankers to demonstrate AI proficiency as the skill moves from being a nice-to-have to an absolute requirement within recruiting.

The change currently applies to graduates and interns applying to the company’s 2027 intake, per the Financial Times, and it’s unclear whether UBS will broaden the requirement to all workers in the future.

As part of the new requirement, recruits will need to be able to demonstrate that they can use and experiment with AI responsibly to improve business outcomes – not just that they can use popular AI chatbots like ChatGPT.

UBS makes AI skills a must-have

AI-related questions will now become part of the bank’s recruitment interviews on top of both the existing types of questions as well as the usual requirements, like a 2:1 degree.

While the news puts additional strain on graduates who now need to invest in their own AI skills, it’s an example of how artificial intelligence isn’t replacing entry-level workers, with the bank seeing it more as a productivity booster for human staff.

UBS’ training program will also include an ‘AI Fluency Pathway’ to cover real-world banking AI use cases and responsible AI use, implying that the bank is more focused on prospective workers being able to prove a certain level of proficiency and willingness to learn – not full proficiency from the get-go.

AI’s longer-term effects on banking employment are more unpredictable, though, with an earlier Morgan Stanley report warning that 200,000 banking jobs could be lost in Europe over the next five years. That was in early 2026.

While the outlook now seems more positive that junior workers may not be at a loss, it’s clear that roles are evolving and entry-level workers could see their responsibilities shift toward AI management.