Varun Goyal, a 25-year-old IIT Kanpur graduate, recently revealed why he left a high-paying role in quantitative trading to join a California-based AI startup, in an interview with Business Insider. After completing his master’s in computer science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Goyal faced a crossroads: a structured, lucrative career in finance or the unpredictable, fast-evolving world of artificial intelligence.
“I was initially blinded by the high salary and prestige of quant trading,” Goyal admitted. “But after speaking with industry professionals, I realized the collaborative culture of startups appealed to me more.”
The lure and limits of quant
While quant trading promised rapid career growth and financial rewards, Goyal found the environment restrictive. “At bigger firms, teams often compete, and you can't really discuss your work outside your group. The exit options in quant felt constrained. Quant reminded me of a single-lane speed track: fast, sharp, but narrow,” he said.
Although the work was intellectually stimulating, the highly specialised nature of quant roles limited flexibility, making long-term career diversification challenging.
AI: a racing track with curves
In contrast, Goyal saw AI as a sector full of unpredictability, collaboration, and broad opportunities. “AI felt more like a racing track with a lot of turns and curves. It’s redesigning human productivity from the ground up, which is incredibly exciting,” he explained. Joining an AI startup meant longer hours and lower base pay compared to quant, but offered unique learning opportunities.
Learning beyond coding
“At the startup, I’ve learned far more than coding. I’m involved in hiring, product strategy, customer interactions, and leadership decisions,” Goyal told Business Insider. The intense pace of AI innovation keeps him on his toes: “If we don’t launch features aligned with new research papers within a few days, we risk falling behind competitors.”
Goyal credits this fast-paced environment with rapid personal and professional growth. “AI puts me in an uncomfortable seat every few months, but that pushes me to expand my skills constantly,” he added.
For Goyal, AI offers a long-term advantage: diverse career paths that could lead to founding ventures, leadership roles in Big Tech, or even venture capital. “We’re like the builders of the machines in the Industrial Revolution, laying the foundations for how the world will actually use AI,” he said.
Despite the uncertainty, Goyal believes the rewards—learning, growth, and future opportunities—far outweigh the risks of leaving a high-paying finance role. “There’s a lot left to be built, and this is the opportunity the brightest graduating minds should take,” he concluded.
“I was initially blinded by the high salary and prestige of quant trading,” Goyal admitted. “But after speaking with industry professionals, I realized the collaborative culture of startups appealed to me more.”
The lure and limits of quant
While quant trading promised rapid career growth and financial rewards, Goyal found the environment restrictive. “At bigger firms, teams often compete, and you can't really discuss your work outside your group. The exit options in quant felt constrained. Quant reminded me of a single-lane speed track: fast, sharp, but narrow,” he said.
Although the work was intellectually stimulating, the highly specialised nature of quant roles limited flexibility, making long-term career diversification challenging.
AI: a racing track with curves
In contrast, Goyal saw AI as a sector full of unpredictability, collaboration, and broad opportunities. “AI felt more like a racing track with a lot of turns and curves. It’s redesigning human productivity from the ground up, which is incredibly exciting,” he explained. Joining an AI startup meant longer hours and lower base pay compared to quant, but offered unique learning opportunities.
Learning beyond coding
“At the startup, I’ve learned far more than coding. I’m involved in hiring, product strategy, customer interactions, and leadership decisions,” Goyal told Business Insider. The intense pace of AI innovation keeps him on his toes: “If we don’t launch features aligned with new research papers within a few days, we risk falling behind competitors.”
Goyal credits this fast-paced environment with rapid personal and professional growth. “AI puts me in an uncomfortable seat every few months, but that pushes me to expand my skills constantly,” he added.
For Goyal, AI offers a long-term advantage: diverse career paths that could lead to founding ventures, leadership roles in Big Tech, or even venture capital. “We’re like the builders of the machines in the Industrial Revolution, laying the foundations for how the world will actually use AI,” he said.
Despite the uncertainty, Goyal believes the rewards—learning, growth, and future opportunities—far outweigh the risks of leaving a high-paying finance role. “There’s a lot left to be built, and this is the opportunity the brightest graduating minds should take,” he concluded.
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