Goldman limits AI coding tools like Claude Code to engineers only
For the CIO of a bank with trading desks
Goldman Sachs has banned most staff other than engineers from using AI coding tools such as Anthropic's Claude Code and Microsoft's GitHub, according to internal guidance updated in October and seen by Bloomberg News.2
Goldman banned most staff from using the tools after reviewing productivity and risk concerns, according to Bloomberg News.2 Spokesperson Nick Carcaterra said the bank puts tools "in the hands of those who are best suited to leverage them for the long term" after a period of experimentation.12
For months, Goldman had allowed bankers to use the tools, and some traders used them to monitor client trading flows and model market changes and positions, according to Bloomberg News.12
The ban has frustrated some traders, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to Bloomberg News on condition of anonymity.2
As recently as July, CIO Marco Argenti praised "vibe coding" by traders and bankers, saying they passed their creations to one of the firm's 12,000 engineers to improve, according to Bloomberg News.2
The directive does not apply to "strats," who sit at the intersection of trading, quantitative research and software engineering, according to another person cited by Bloomberg News.2
Banks must decide who is allowed to build software with AI tools, not only which models to buy. Goldman's move points to a view that code written outside engineering needs the controls engineering applies, though the bank has not said which controls drove the decision.
Our take. Goldman ran the trial you are weighing and ended it. Traders built tools to watch client flows, and the bank handed the coding back to engineers. Ask who reviews a trader's code before it runs.
Action. Technology risk: Inventory scripts and tools built by non-engineers with AI coding assistants, and require code review before they touch trading or client data.
From our records
- Goldman Sachsbank · latest Argenti: assume any agent could misbehave (Oct 2026) · vendors ChatGPT Enterprise, Claude, Gemini Enterprise · enforcement 4 actions since 2016; latest CFPB consent order, $45 million (Oct 2024)
- Claude (Anthropic)vendor · banks using it (21) Goldman, JPMorgan, BankUnited · alternatives Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT Enterprise, Gemini Enterprise
Sources
- ReportGoldman bans traders and bankers from using AI coding tools Finextra
- Also reported byGoldman Restricts Traders And Bankers From Using Some AI Tools Fa-mag