SF AI lab vs NYC EB IB
Throwaway account for anonymity. I met the founding team of large AI startup at a H/Y/P alumni networking event and received a verbal offer to join their team. All in comp would be ~250-300k + equity. Equity would likely be around 1mm vested over 4 years. However, I also have a return offer for a NYC EB (EVR/MOE/PJT/LAZ). I am overall very bullish on the startup and the AI space as a whole but I am very conflicted about losing the optionality of banking and perhaps alienating myself from the high finance world given how close it is to the start date. Would really appreciate any advice on whether to stay in IB or go into AI.
Hey, go into AI and don't look back.
Am an incoming analyst at Moe, feel free to PM
What would you be doing at the AI company? Product, growth, engineering? That would influence the decision.
I would be directly leading projects/contracts. More focused on operations.
If this is one of the RL companies (Mercor etc.) that’s no where near the same premium as the real model labs (OpenAI, Anthropic, some of the well funded Neolabs / world labs etc.). Those “project lead” roles at the RL companies is basically glorified project management, you won’t learn any real operating skills and their product is quickly commoditizing.
Above poster is right that getting into AI is the way to go but very important you separate the wheat from the chaff or you’ll get burned and waste the most important 2-3 years at the start of your career (you need to maximize your network of important / future important people, learn from senior leaders who’ve actually accomplished something, etc.)
I’d take Moelis bro. Congrats
Take the Ai offer & if everything goes to shit you can just get an MBA in a few years and return to banking. Opportunities like this don’t come often man
Had a similar-ish opportunity of essentially free T7 law school (my goal throughout college) vs last minute offer from a large AI company with a similar equity package + comp. I chose the AI role and starting in two months. Traditional paths like finance and law will always be there, having a unicorn name on the resume will only help you if you choose to rotate back.
🤣🤣 Going in expecting it to be a unicorn is a joke
It became a decacorn in the time between beginning my process with them and today
was in same situation - pm'd you
Hey, I'm in a similar situation but between MBB and AI startup - could you share your experience with me as well! Thank you!
What did you choose and why?
What did you choose and why?
Just so you know, the finance people at startups don’t really get rich. You’re always third class to the founders and engineers
I mean you're always third class to the founders... I think everybody at a startup that isn't a founder is, no?
Did you consider joining one?
Depends entirely on the startup. DM. Will say that becoming a "known quantity" in terms of branding and training is underrated by most new grads (i.e. doing at least 1Y of a banking program), and the downside case of the startup is very real so consider career implication of that
In a similar spot debating between MBB and AI startup - happy to chat privately, and if anyone has advice for me as well I would appreciate it!
If this were a true model lab / top-tier AI company and the role put you close to product, customers, technical leadership, partnerships, or company-defining ops, I’d seriously consider taking it. But if the role is mostly project management / contract execution / managing labeling or workflow ops, I’d be more careful. The headline “AI startup” can hide very different jobs.
The equity also needs to be heavily discounted. $1mm over 4 years sounds great, but the real questions are: strike price, current valuation, preferred stack, liquidation preferences, refreshers, likely exit path, and whether employees have any realistic liquidity.
Animi adipisci sit neque consequatur. Animi explicabo deserunt corporis aut.
Officia sit odio voluptatem natus voluptate. Voluptas ipsa maxime quod vel debitis. Distinctio ipsum sint molestiae qui alias expedita culpa. A voluptatum unde enim eligendi tenetur.
Dolor quia et voluptatem. Qui itaque sint enim et. Voluptatum accusamus officiis autem ea illum consequatur at.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Soluta voluptatibus vel laboriosam iusto odio. Sequi beatae sint est omnis consectetur. Nemo sed quia occaecati ut consequatur. Deleniti repudiandae sint molestias veritatis et. Molestiae nihil possimus iste est. Illum est voluptatum explicabo.
Quis excepturi atque explicabo rerum. Dolor qui voluptates ullam neque ut. Aliquid possimus odit incidunt dolores ipsum doloribus. Odio repellat vel aut. Distinctio recusandae qui quam id id quod. Delectus commodi consectetur dolorem et possimus expedita qui. Quas quas eius dolorum nesciunt porro quisquam qui quia. Omnis est omnis qui exercitationem est.
Nesciunt quam similique facere fuga. Consequatur sed odit velit qui ut praesentium facilis alias. Dolor voluptas quia vel quos maxime odio unde. Magnam impedit deserunt dolorem voluptatibus neque et.
Quidem praesentium aliquid assumenda sit sequi ipsum laboriosam totam. Sit esse quia fugiat ex quidem voluptates. Adipisci odio suscipit omnis non. Esse labore est voluptas beatae. Corporis quia nostrum vel fugiat aut. Iste assumenda totam nostrum.