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Goldman Sachs has restricted traders and other non-engineering employees from using advanced AI coding tools, according to Bloomberg reporting carried by Finextra. The bank says it evaluated productivity and risk during a period of experimentation; the tools are now being made available to employees best suited to use them long term.
Goldman Sachs has restricted traders and other non-engineering employees from using advanced AI coding tools, limiting access to engineers after a period of experimentation, according to a Finextra report citing Bloomberg. The change affects tools including Anthropic’s Claude Code and Microsoft’s GitHub and follows the bank’s review of productivity and risk-management considerations.
Finextra reported that Goldman had previously allowed bankers to use coding assistants such as Claude Code and GitHub. Under the changed policy, use is now limited to engineers. The report said some traders had used the tools to build applications for monitoring client trading flows and modelling market changes and positions, and that the restriction frustrated some of those users.
Goldman spokesperson Nick Carcaterra told Bloomberg that the bank makes certain AI tools available to staff to evaluate their uses across the firm. He said Goldman reviews factors including productivity and risk management before deciding which employees are best placed to use the tools over the long term. The statement did not identify a specific productivity shortfall or a particular incident that prompted the change.
The reported restriction concerns AI tools used for coding; the available account does not say that Goldman has barred employees from all AI products or uses. It also does not specify which versions or features remain accessible to engineers, how access is controlled, or whether non-engineering staff can request exceptions.
Who Can Build Internal AI Tools
The policy narrows who can use generative AI to create software inside one of Wall Street’s largest banks. Traders had reportedly used coding tools for tasks tied to monitoring flows and modelling positions, so limiting access may change how quickly those teams can prototype or maintain their own applications. The report does not establish whether any such projects have been stopped or moved to engineering teams.
The decision also illustrates a practical tension for financial firms: AI coding assistants may help employees produce tools without relying entirely on specialist developers, but software used in trading and client-related work can carry operational and risk-management concerns. Goldman’s spokesperson described the restriction as following an evaluation process, not as a blanket rejection of AI. The bank’s approach leaves engineers as the authorized group while it determines who is best suited to use the technology over time.
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Goldman’s Earlier AI Experimentation
The restriction follows a period in which Goldman allowed some bankers to experiment with coding assistants. During the summer, Goldman CIO Marco Argenti promoted “vibe coding” by non-technical employees, saying tools created through that process were then passed to engineers. That account points to an earlier model in which staff could prototype and engineers could take responsibility for subsequent work.
In August, Goldman partner Chris Churchman, who leads one of the bank’s major AI projects, warned that relying too heavily on the technology could weaken bankers’ reasoning skills, according to Finextra. Separately, earlier in the year, Goldman was among banks that restricted employee access to Claude models in Hong Kong amid rising US-China tensions over AI. These earlier developments show that the bank’s AI rules have varied by tool, user group and location; they do not establish the specific reason for the latest coding-tool restriction.
“We make certain AI tools available to our people to determine the best use cases across different parts of the firm.”
— Nick Carcaterra, Goldman Sachs spokesperson, speaking to Bloomberg
Policy Scope and Review Findings
The available report does not give the date the restriction took effect, the internal policy wording, or whether it applies to every Goldman office. It also does not clarify whether non-engineers may still use other AI tools, collaborate with engineers on prototypes, or seek approval for specific coding tasks.
Goldman has not publicly detailed the productivity or risk findings behind the decision in the material cited by Finextra. The reported frustration among some traders is attributed to Bloomberg’s reporting, but the number of affected employees and the scale of any disruption are not stated. It remains unclear whether the restriction is temporary, part of a formal review, or intended as a continuing rule.
How Goldman Sets Access Rules
The next developments to watch are whether Goldman provides more detail about the policy’s scope and whether it will revise access after further evaluation. The bank’s spokesperson said tools are placed with employees considered best suited to use them for the long term, but did not announce a review timetable or additional milestones.
For now, the confirmed reported position is that advanced AI coding tools are limited to engineers. Further information from Goldman or reporting on how the restriction is applied would clarify whether traders’ existing prototypes are being transferred to engineering teams and how the bank measures the balance between productivity and risk.
Key Questions
What has Goldman Sachs changed?
According to Finextra, citing Bloomberg, Goldman has limited advanced AI coding tools to engineers, ending access for traders and other non-engineering employees.
Which tools are mentioned in the report?
The report names Anthropic’s Claude Code and Microsoft’s GitHub as tools bankers had been allowed to use. It does not provide a complete list of affected products or versions.
Why did Goldman restrict access?
Goldman spokesperson Nick Carcaterra said the bank evaluates tools using factors including productivity and risk management. The bank did not disclose specific findings or say that one incident prompted the change.
Does this mean Goldman has banned all employee use of AI?
No such broad ban is established by the report. It describes a restriction on advanced AI coding tools for non-engineers, not a prohibition on every AI product or use.
Will the restriction be permanent?
That remains unclear. Goldman did not provide a timetable for reviewing the policy or say whether non-engineers could regain access later.
Source: finextra.com
