Goldman Sachs takes AI coding tools away from traders and bankers

Goldman Sachs has taken AI coding tools away from its traders and bankers. Only engineers can still use tools like Anthropic's Claude Code and Microsoft's GitHub, according to Bloomberg, which cites internal guidelines from October. The change is reportedly causing frustration inside the firm.

What changed

For months, traders and bankers used these tools to monitor trading flows and create content. In July, Goldman's chief information officer, Marco Argenti, praised what is called vibe coding by non-technical staff. That means describing what you want in plain words and letting AI write the software. The idea was that a trader would build a quick prototype, then hand it to an engineer to make it ready for real use. That plan no longer seems to hold.

Goldman spokesperson Nick Carcaterra pointed to a variety of factors, including productivity and risk management. He said the experimentation phase is over. The firm is now limiting the tools to people who are best suited to use them for the long term.

What is not known

• Which specific risks led to the decision.
• How many employees lost access.
• Whether the limit is permanent.
• What happens to prototypes already built.

The reason given is broad, so the details are unclear. The lesson for other businesses is simpler. If staff build their own tools with AI, decide who gets access and who checks the work before anyone relies on it.