Billionaire Ken Griffin used to dismiss AI as ‘garbage.’ Here’s why he changed his mind—and why he’s ‘depressed’
Ken Griffin, CEO of Citadel, has shifted from skepticism to recognition of AI's transformative potential after witnessing its capabilities firsthand. He expressed concern about the dramatic impact AI could have on society and the job market, particularly in high-end financial research. Griffin emphasized the importance of adaptability and lifelong learning in the face of these changes.
- ▪Ken Griffin previously dismissed AI as 'garbage' but has changed his perspective after observing its advancements at Citadel.
- ▪He noted that AI is now completing complex financial research tasks in hours or days, which used to take teams with advanced degrees weeks or months.
- ▪Griffin warns that adaptability and lifelong learning will be crucial for career success in an AI-driven future.
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| Original publisher | Fortune |
| Canonical URL | https://fortune.com/2026/05/18/billionaire-ken-griffin-ai-garbage-depressed-dramatic-impact-society/ |
| Publication time | Mon, 18 May 2026 15:03:00 +0000 |
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Just months after calling artificial intelligence “garbage,” Citadel CEO Ken Griffin is now warning that the technology will fundamentally reshape society—and says he went home “depressed” after seeing what it could actually do.Recommended Video Griffin, the hedge fund billionaire who manages one of the world’s most powerful trading firms, had long been one of the most prominent skeptics of AI in finance. As recently as January 22 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he told a panel that while AI might look impressive on the surface, the moment you dug beneath it, “it’s all garbage.” The reversal came fast—and, by Griffin’s own account, hit hard. What changed his mind Earlier this month, in a conversation at Stanford Business School, Griffin described a jarring personal reckoning.
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