Wall Street Interns Embrace Betting Markets and AI Tools

More than a quarter of the surveyed interns reported using betting or prediction platforms over the past year, with Polymarket and Kalshi emerging as the primary choices. This behavior mirrors broader national trends, where usage among the 18-to-34 demographic is significantly higher than the general adult population. While these platforms market themselves as data sources for sophisticated investors, they face mounting regulatory scrutiny and internal bans at firms concerned about insider trading and professional conduct.

Simultaneously, the integration of artificial intelligence into entry-level roles has accelerated, with 68% of interns now using AI tools daily, up from 35% last year. Most respondents personally pay for these services to automate tasks like drafting pitch decks and summarizing research. Despite this enthusiasm, 61% of these interns express fear that the technology will eventually render their own finance roles obsolete. Beyond software, the cohort shows a growing appetite for physical automation, with 60% expressing interest in humanoid robots for their homes, even as they remain anxious about the increasingly competitive economic landscape.