Goldman Sachs has launched a pilot program for an autonomous software engineer named Devin, developed by AI startup Cognition. This AI-driven coder is designed to take on complex programming assignments, effectively supplementing the bank’s existing tech workforce of around 12,000 human developers.
CIO Marco Argenti explained that Devin will operate under human supervision, tackling routine or labor-intensive tasks like updating legacy code. The firm plans to deploy hundreds, potentially thousands, of these AI agents as use cases are refined.
This initiative marks a major milestone for AI integration in the corporate world, signaling the rise of a hybrid workforce where human and machine collaborate. While increasing efficiency, the move also raises questions about job security—some estimates suggest AI could reduce banking roles by up to 200,000 in the coming years.
Argenti emphasized that engineers will need to shift their focus toward defining clear problem statements and guiding AI agents, rather than manually writing every line of code. Research suggests that while AI can boost developer productivity, it also introduces new challenges—reviewing AI-generated code can slow down experienced developers, and over-reliance may erode critical thinking skills.
As the financial industry rapidly embraces automation, success will hinge on human judgment: knowing what to ask, what to trust, and when to intervene. In this emerging era, technical acumen remains essential—but savvy oversight is becoming the real differentiator.