Nearly a quarter of financial firms surveyed now tie raises, bonuses or promotions to employees’ AI proficiency, making the technology increasingly important for career progression.
A survey of 500 finance executives by recruitment firm Selby Jennings, reported by Reuters, found that 42% had introduced formal criteria to evaluate AI skills. Another 30% required employees to disclose their AI use during performance reviews.
AI skills gain importance in hiring
According to Semafor, respondents placed almost four times as much importance on applicants’ AI skills as on where they attended college.
Linking compensation to AI proficiency is more common among fintech startups and smaller firms than major banks and trading houses, Selby Jennings’ technology recruiting head Jacob Summers said.
The findings suggest practical AI knowledge is becoming a stronger hiring advantage, although the practice is not universal across finance.
Companies want results from AI spending
Around 30% of respondents had created dedicated teams or roles to track whether their AI investments were delivering results.
Employers are increasingly assessing how AI contributes to output and business performance. Simply using more tools or generating more AI activity does not necessarily demonstrate greater value.
There is still no established formula for how much compensation should depend on AI performance, Selby Jennings executive director Dylan Gomez told Reuters.
Related: These Four Companies Are Monetising AI Today.
AI skills are becoming part of the financial industry’s reward system. The next challenge is measuring their contribution fairly, so employees are rewarded for useful results.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content is for informational and educational purposes only.
