Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel—the firm often called the most profitable hedge fund ever—says AI agents have sped up work that used to tie up his PhD- and master-level analysts for weeks or months. Tasks like data gathering, back-testing trading strategies and risk modeling now get done in hours or days. He credits this change to advances in machine learning and automation tools his teams have built in house. At Citadel, traders and quant researchers feed large datasets into AI systems that spot patterns and flag anomalies faster than humans can. Griffin pointed out that what used to require deep dives into economic reports, earnings calls and market data now happens automatically. The machines not only process information but can run scenario analyses, adjust parameters and suggest tweaks to algorithms on the fly. This shift has reshaped how Citadel allocates human talent. Instead of poring over spreadsheets, analysts review AI findings, challenge its assumptions and focus on high-level strategy. Griffin sees it as a multiplier: AI handles repetitive, data-heavy chores while people bring judgment and creativity. That combo, he says, is already giving Citadel a sharper edge in fast-moving markets.