Goldman Sachs CIO: AI Natives Crucial for Future Workforce

Marco Argenti, the chief information officer of Goldman Sachs, has emphasized the need to prepare the next generation of workers, known as "AI natives," to lead the future of work in an era dominated by agentic AI. Agentic AI refers to artificial intelligence systems capable of performing tasks independently, making decisions, and executing plans without direct human oversight. These systems can reason based on context, memory, and available data, marking a shift from passive tools to active collaborators.

Argenti argues that while agentic AI may displace some junior-level roles, it also makes early-career workers more critical than ever. The generation entering the workforce today has grown up with generative AI and is more comfortable with its pace, equipped to shape its future. However, experienced supervision will be essential as AI agents enter the workforce, given that AI systems are still evolving and lack the experience and sound judgment that come with human expertise.

Understanding how to nurture AI natives and equip them with the right skills and tools to lead this transformation will be crucial. Their instincts, creativity, and adaptability will determine how successfully AI is integrated into organizations as a partner rather than just a tool. The challenge ahead is not just technological but also cultural, educational, and distinctly human.

Argenti highlights that the new AI paradigm requires a new generation of leaders who are more proficient with AI tools. Those who did not grow up with these tools may find it more difficult to adapt to an AI-first or AI-hybrid workforce. The speed of the AI shift is unprecedented, and workers who lack proficiency in leveraging AI tools will fall behind. This generational divide is similar to previous technological shifts but is happening at a much faster pace.

Investing in junior talent who will redefine industries is a priority. As agentic AI becomes a baseline capability, even the most junior employees will need to master foundational management skills such as describing tasks clearly, delegating them effectively to AI agents, and supervising the results. Supervision is especially critical in a world where agent technology is still maturing, as the failure mode here is organizational rather than technological.

AI systems are highly sensitive to how questions are posed, and slight miscommunications can be amplified, leading to incorrect or even dangerous actions. Until these tools are confidently reliable, humans must remain in the loop. Re-thinking the concept of agency is essential, including how tasks are delegated, executed, and communicated between AI agents and humans. New communication protocols are emerging, but the human role remains central.

As junior employees take on managerial responsibilities, the traditional boundaries between business and engineering are dissolving. Professionals must be fluent in both domains, understanding the customer, defining the roadmap, identifying risks and biases, and designing compensating controls. This mindset must be cultivated in the AI-native workforce, who will be expected to manage their AI agents by understanding their capabilities and limitations and anticipating risks before they become problems.

The rise of AI is not just a technological evolution but a cultural transformation reshaping the fabric of organizations. It challenges how teams are structured, roles are defined, and performance is managed in a hybrid workforce of humans and AI agents. Leaders must rethink management science, designing new models for onboarding, training, and career development for both people and AI agents. AI agents will require career paths and governance frameworks, and mapping out their roles and deployment will become part of the management process.

Employees must be equipped with the skills to manage AI responsibly, including the ability to communicate, delegate, and supervise. In a world where anyone can spin up virtual coworkers, the concept of an individual contributor is shifting into that of a player-coach. Supervision is key to ensuring the quality of work created by AI, much like how junior pilots must be properly equipped to supervise autopilot systems in an airline.

Ultimately, cultural transformation in a period of sharp technological advancement is about forming a new generation of leaders and accelerating their path to experience. Equipping them with managerial skills from the outset and leveraging their innate familiarity and proficiency with new technology is essential. Today, technology change is ahead of human change, and the current generation has the challenging task of passing the baton to a new generation of humans entering the workforce, equipping them with the skills necessary to manage something that the current generation does not fully understand, all without the luxury of time.