Lesson 130 of 2116
Investment Banker in 2026: The Deck Writes Itself
Pitchbook assembly, comps, and CIMs are now drafted by AI. The analyst still works late — on higher-leverage parts of the deal.
Lesson map
What this lesson covers
Learning path
The main moves in order
- 1What AI touches
- 2Specialized tools
- 3pitchbooks
- 4comps
Concept cluster
Terms to connect while reading
It is 11:47 p.m. at a bulge-bracket M&A desk. Two years ago the first-year would have been cranking slide 42 of a 90-slide pitch. Tonight the AI drafted 78 slides by 8 p.m.; she has spent the last three hours interrogating the LBO model assumptions, verifying comps, and catching two numbers the model got confidently wrong. She is still there at midnight. Just doing different work.
Section 1
What AI touches
- Pitchbook drafting — slides from templates and firm data.
- Comps and precedent transactions — trading and deal multiples from CapIQ and FactSet.
- CIM drafting — AI synthesizes management interviews and data room.
- Financial modeling — LBO/DCF scaffolds, analyst reviews and stresses.
- Diligence — question lists, data-room QA.
- Email and call follow-ups — CRM and client correspondence.
Section 2
Specialized tools
- Tools like Rogo, Hebbia, and AlphaSense — finance-specialized LLMs.
- FactSet, S&P CapIQ, Bloomberg with AI copilots.
- Microsoft Copilot in Excel and PowerPoint.
- Tools like BigHand and Macabacus — formatting and automation.
- Datasite and Intralinks for data rooms.
Compare the options
| Task | Before AI (2020) | Now (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Pitch slides | Analyst builds overnight. | AI drafts; analyst verifies and refines. |
| Comps | Hours of manual pulling. | Minutes with LLM + data platform. |
| CIM | Weeks of writing. | Days with AI draft and MD edits. |
If you want to be an investment banker: Top target or semi-target school, 3.7+ GPA, finance or econ, Excel fluency by sophomore year. Spring week, sophomore summer, junior SA — the funnel is ruthless. Build a modeling portfolio with BIWS or Wall Street Prep. Learn one AI finance tool deeply. The job still rewards stamina, precision, and relentless attention to detail.
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