Citi is rolling out a mandatory AI training program to 175,000 employees across 80 locations, signalling the growing importance of generative AI in the bank’s operations.
Employees are required to complete the program, titled Asking Smart Questions - Prompting like a Pro, within 60 days. It focuses on teaching employees how to create effective prompts for Citi’s various AI tools and features, and adaptive learning technology that customizes the training based on their knowledge level.
In an internal memo to staff, Tim Ryan, Citi’s head of technology and business enablement, and Anand Selva, the bank’s chief operating officer, stressed the importance of creating well-designed prompts.
“Just as the right question in a client pitch can reveal clarity and create advantage, a well-crafted prompt can accelerate your work, surface insights, and amplify your impact,” the executives wrote.
The memo highlighted the ‘impressive scale’ at which employees were using the technology, noting that staff have fed more than 6.5 million prompts into the bank’s AI programs, turning ‘work that once took hours into tasks done in minutes.”
Peter Fox, Citi’s head of learning, told reporters that the goal is to help its staff produce better-quality output. “This training is about teaching our colleagues the possibilities of great prompting versus basic prompting to generate impactful results,” he said.
The training announcement comes as Citi expands the use of AI throughout its global operations. In September, 5,000 employees were given access to an agentic AI program designed to conduct research, analyze data, and translate findings. The bank also introduced the technology to 40,000 developers using tools like Devin AI and GitHub Copilot for coding support.
“We’re giving our people smarter, faster, and more connected tools so they can focus less on manual tasks and more on the big ideas that drive our business forward,” said David Griffiths, Citi’s Chief Technology Officer.
Citi’s move aligns with a broader industry push, as many of its competitors double down on their AI investments. Bank of America announced in April that roughly 90% of its global workforce uses AI tools daily, partly due to mandatory training modules across departments. JPMorgan has made AI training mandatory in employee onboarding since 2024, while Wells Fargo trained 4,000 employees in Stanford University’s Human-Centered AI program.