Citadel CEO Ken Griffin was a prominent AI skeptic. Now he says, 'AI is real.'

Ken Griffin, chief executive of Citadel, has reversed his previous skepticism about artificial intelligence. The billionaire hedge fund manager now describes AI as 'profoundly more powerful' than he had assumed. He stated that work once performed by highly trained finance professionals is now completed by AI agents in 'hours or days,' a shift he attributed to rapid advances in the technology.

Griffin's comments mark a notable change in stance. He had previously been one of the more vocal AI skeptics in the finance industry, often questioning whether the technology could live up to its promises. He did not specify how many Citadel employees might be affected but acknowledged that the nature of certain roles is changing.

The hedge fund industry has been increasingly adopting AI tools for tasks such as trading, risk management, and data analysis. Griffin's conversion adds a high-profile endorsement to the trend. Some analysts suggest that AI adoption in finance could accelerate further as a result, though the full impact on employment remains uncertain. The firm is expected to continue integrating AI into its operations, with Griffin's comments seen as a signal that Citadel will pursue automation more aggressively.