Particle.news
Download on the App Store

OpenAI Taps 100+ Ex-Bankers for 'Project Mercury' to Train AI on Entry-Level Finance Tasks

Contractors are reportedly paid about $150 an hour to produce standardized models that feed OpenAI’s training pipeline.

Overview

  • Bloomberg reported that the internal initiative enlists more than 100 former investment bankers to teach models routine analyst work like Excel financial modeling and slide revisions.
  • Participants are reportedly paid about $150 per hour to write prompts, build transaction models, and refine AI outputs for tasks such as restructurings, IPOs, mergers, and leveraged buyouts.
  • The application process is largely automated, featuring a 20-minute AI chatbot interview and tests on financial statements and modeling.
  • Contractors deliver roughly one model per week to precise industry formatting standards, receive reviewer feedback, and then see their work integrated into OpenAI’s training systems.
  • An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed collaboration with external experts through third-party suppliers, while experts say the effort may shift junior-banker workloads even as job effects remain uncertain.