Banks and Internet Giants Compete for AI "New Talent Wave"

The latest AI talent war is in full swing. Recently, major state-owned banks such as Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, and China Construction Bank have launched their 2026 spring campus recruitment; almost simultaneously, internet tech giants like Tencent, Baidu, and Ant Group have also begun their 2026 spring recruitment, creating a scene where “tech giants + traditional financial institutions” compete side by side for talent.

In addition to the big state-owned banks, joint-stock banks and regional small and medium-sized banks are also working together to attract tech talent. This round of spring recruitment by internet giants and banks shows clear differentiation in positioning but also a high industry consensus—AI talent is becoming a “hot commodity” that both new and established forces are fiercely competing for.

Strong Demand for AI Talent

“This spring, I noticed that traditional industries like banks and automakers are offering AI-related positions, so I plan to submit my resume and give it a try. But I still prefer positions in large internet companies focusing on AI. Overall, I think big tech companies have more options,” said Liu Yu (pseudonym), a computer science graduate, to Securities Daily.

This subtle feeling among applicants reflects the current fierce competition for AI talent led by internet giants. Unlike before, as AI increasingly penetrates various industries, the demand for AI professionals is no longer limited to big tech firms; traditional industries are also turning their attention to “AI+” hybrid talents.

Notably, Ant Group launched its 2026 spring campus recruitment on March 10, focusing on core areas such as large model algorithms, multimodal generation, data intelligence, foundational platform development, and AI security. In this recruitment, 85% of positions are technical, with over 70% related to artificial intelligence; Tencent announced the start of its 2026 internship recruitment on March 6, offering over 10,000 internship positions, with a 36% increase in technical roles, 39% in product roles, and a significant expansion of AI-related positions; Baidu’s 2026 campus recruitment includes roles in AI technology ecosystem operations and AI heterogeneous computing engineers; ByteDance’s 2026 internship recruitment also shows strong demand for AI engineering and AI product positions.

Major banks generally prioritize recruiting technical talents such as artificial intelligence and big data, with a particularly notable trend of expanding fintech positions.

Among the six largest state-owned banks, branches of China Construction Bank in Beijing, Jilin, and Hainan are recruiting “specialized technology talents” during spring recruitment. China Construction Bank’s subsidiary, Jianxin Financial Technology Co., Ltd., is also recruiting “specialized technology talents,” including AI-focused roles. The Bank of China’s Information Technology Operations Center is hiring graduates in computer science, communications and engineering, mathematics, big data, AI, electrical engineering, and related fields. Among joint-stock banks, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank’s 2026 spring campus recruitment mainly targets students with backgrounds in AI, data science, software engineering, and fintech, aiming to develop technical talents in research, operations, AI, and data management, with a preference for graduates with expertise in AI, data science, or fintech. China Merchants Bank is recruiting IT professionals for roles in software development, data analysis, network, and system maintenance.

Regional small and medium-sized banks such as city and rural commercial banks are also eager for fintech talents. For example, Guangzhou Bank’s spring recruitment includes a fintech position at the head office, focusing on new technology R&D, big data applications, AI, and algorithm modeling to cultivate hybrid fintech talents; Beijing Rural Commercial Bank’s spring recruitment offers positions like Data Intelligence Elite Trainee and Fintech Trainee, involved in product development, software engineering (application development, project management, big data, AI, blockchain, and other innovative tech applications); Ningbo Bank’s head office fintech department recruits targeted fintech students; Shanghai Bank’s campus recruitment includes a fintech position (algorithm engineer) that involves tracking cutting-edge AI technology, researching financial scene applications, exploring innovation directions, and participating in technical path development.

Overall, bank spring recruitment features a “steady layout and precise positioning.” While maintaining traditional business talent needs, they are also focusing on expanding fintech roles, especially those related to AI and hybrid talents.

Job Requirements Vary

The spring recruitment strategies of internet giants and banks show clear differentiation but also a high industry consensus. Tech companies focus on cutting-edge AI research and breakthroughs, emphasizing large models and core technologies, with positions spanning globally, highlighting their innovative DNA. Banks, on the other hand, focus more on applying AI in financial scenarios, integrating AI with core businesses like risk control and customer service, with roles tailored to meet compliance and practical needs of the financial industry.

Industry analysts say that the intense competition for AI talent between internet giants and banks reflects a shared industry recognition that AI upgrades are essential. AI applications in finance will become broader and deeper, and talents who can connect technical logic with financial business scenarios will become the core drivers of the industry’s intelligent transformation.

“AI is evolving from a technical tool into a core production factor. Whoever masters top talent will gain an advantage in the next round of competition. The competition for AI talent between internet giants and banks during spring recruitment is a necessary response to digital transformation and intelligent upgrading,” said Lou Feipeng, researcher at Postal Savings Bank of China, to Securities Daily. Tech companies need AI to strengthen their core business moat and explore new growth points; banks face accelerating digital transformation pressures and urgently need AI to improve risk management efficiency, optimize customer experience, reduce operational costs, and create new profit models.

Tencent’s recruitment leader told Securities Daily, “Talent is the foundation of building a technological fortress. Tencent actively embraces cutting-edge technology and invests heavily in AI, inviting more young talents to co-build the AI era. In recruitment and training, we adhere to a ‘long-term approach,’ providing stable platforms and growth certainty for young talents.”

From the recruitment perspective, both internet giants and banks are prioritizing “hybrid talents,” shifting from “single technical” to “multi-disciplinary” talent demands.

For example, Tencent has added an “AI application skills module” in resumes to better embrace AI changes. “We look forward to more talents with ‘AI Native’ thinking to join us and evolve together with business in the AI wave,” said a Tencent recruitment official.

Nankai University finance professor Tian Lihui believes that banks increasing recruitment of AI and algorithm talents is essentially building the “talent infrastructure” for their fintech ecosystems. In the short term, fresh blood will accelerate technological iteration and promote AI from isolated applications to full-process integration. In the long term, cross-industry talent flow will catalyze the coordinated evolution of “technology-business-regulation,” helping to balance innovation and risk.

Big Tech or Financial Institutions?

For soon-to-be graduates entering the workforce, this AI talent war offers broad employment opportunities but also higher expectations for their comprehensive abilities.

Lou Feipeng said that internet giants offer high-growth technical roles, while banks provide stable career paths and hybrid training opportunities, broadening employment options for graduates. This competition has objectively increased salaries and training standards for AI-related positions, prompting companies to improve training systems and providing graduates with better career starting points.

Experts unanimously advise graduates to leverage their strengths, precisely match job requirements, and use their skill sets to identify suitable career paths.

Lou Feipeng further suggested that graduates should follow the principle of “interest—ability—platform” when job hunting: if seeking technical depth, prioritize internet research institutes; if preferring stable development and hybrid growth, bank fintech subsidiaries are good options.

Tian Lihui added, “If you excel in algorithm innovation, choose big tech to push technological frontiers; if you are good at understanding business, bank AI roles can better leverage the ‘tech + finance’ advantage.”

Dujun, a special researcher at Shanghai Commercial Bank, also offered specific advice: first, actively learn and try, clarify the company’s business layout and role responsibilities through communication; second, have a clear plan and reflection on your career development; third, pay attention to corporate culture and values beyond job content to find a good cultural fit; fourth, build confidence during job applications—don’t self-doubt before submitting resumes or interviews—because in the AI era, everyone’s potential and expertise can be activated in multiple dimensions.