Goldman CEO David Solomon shares father-inspired decision-making and AI outlook with interns

David Solomon told Goldman Sachs’ 2026 summer interns that a habit taught by his father—writing pros and cons on a line—guides his choices, and he applied the same skeptical approach to artificial intelligence.

During a recent briefing for Goldman Sachs’ summer intern cohort, CEO David Solomon recounted a decision-making routine his father, Jerry Solomon, taught him—drawing a line on paper and populating each side with arguments to compel thorough consideration. He explained that this practice builds conviction in the final choice and advised the interns to avoid hasty decisions, noting that some of his most valuable career moves involved saying no to short-term temptations.

Solomon traced his own path from a near-miss at Goldman in the late 1990s, after a stint at Bear Stearns, to the top of the firm two decades later, highlighting patience as a catalyst for opportunity. He then turned to artificial intelligence, urging the interns to explore its capabilities while constantly questioning model outputs, treating them as sparring partners rather than oracles. The talk coincided with Goldman’s announcement of record second-quarter results—$20.34 billion in net revenue and $20.98 earnings per share, a 92% year-over-year increase. The intern class was chosen from an applicant pool with an acceptance rate under 1% for the third consecutive year.