A recent study has demonstrated that leading artificial intelligence models can now pass the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level III exam, a test widely regarded as one of the most difficult in the financial industry. The research, conducted by wealth advisory firm Goodfin and the NYU Stern School of Business, highlights significant progress in AI's advanced reasoning and text-generation capabilities.
The findings show multiple AI systems achieving scores above the 65% passing threshold, with OpenAI's o4-mini model scoring the highest at 79.1%. This development is particularly noteworthy because Level III includes complex, open-ended essay questions that had previously been a major obstacle for AI.
Key Takeaways
- A joint study by Goodfin and NYU Stern found that several top AI models can pass the CFA Level III exam.
- OpenAI's o4-mini led the group with a score of 79.1%, well above the 65% passing grade.
- This marks a significant milestone, as AI has now overcome the challenge of Level III's open-ended essay questions.
- Financial experts believe AI is more likely to become a tool for analysts rather than a replacement, automating tasks but raising concerns about skill development for junior professionals.
A New Benchmark in AI Financial Reasoning
The study involved testing 23 prominent large language models (LLMs) against mock versions of the CFA Level III exam. This final stage of the CFA program focuses on complex topics such as portfolio management, asset valuation, and wealth planning, requiring candidates to synthesize information and provide detailed written responses.
According to the researchers, this achievement demonstrates a rapid evolution in AI capabilities. While previous studies showed AI could pass the multiple-choice-heavy Level I and Level II exams, the unstructured, essay-based format of Level III remained a significant challenge until now.
Understanding the CFA Exam
The Chartered Financial Analyst designation is a globally recognized credential for investment management professionals. The program consists of three levels, with each exam requiring hundreds of hours of study. Level III is the final and most application-oriented stage, testing a candidate's ability to apply financial principles to real-world scenarios through constructed-response questions.
The success of the models in this latest test indicates a leap forward in their ability to understand context, structure arguments, and articulate complex financial strategies in a human-like manner. This capability extends beyond simple data retrieval, touching upon the kind of analytical reasoning that is a core skill for financial professionals.
Top AI Models and Their Performance
The study, titled "Advanced Financial Reasoning at Scale: A Comprehensive Examination of Large Language Models on CFA Level III," provided a clear ranking of the models tested. Several of the most advanced AI systems available today demonstrated their proficiency by exceeding the passing score.
Leading AI Model Scores on CFA Level III
The following models achieved scores above the 65% passing threshold in the mock exam:
- OpenAI o4-mini: 79.1%
- Google Gemini 2.5 Flash: 77.3%
- Anthropic Claude Opus 4: 74.9%
- xAI Grok-3: 73.8%
- DeepSeek DeepSeek-RI: 67.4%
Anna Joo Fee, the CEO of Goodfin, noted that the AI models were not specifically trained on CFA exam materials before the test. This suggests that their performance is based on general reasoning abilities developed from their vast training data rather than rote memorization of exam content. This makes their high scores even more impressive.
The ability of these models to handle the nuanced and multifaceted questions of the Level III exam signifies a major step towards AI that can perform high-level analytical tasks. The models were able to complete the exam in just a few minutes, a task that takes human candidates several hours.
Implications for the Financial Industry
While the results are striking, industry experts are not yet predicting the obsolescence of human financial analysts. Instead, the conversation is shifting toward how AI will be integrated as a powerful tool to augment human expertise. Many believe AI will handle routine data analysis and report generation, freeing up professionals to focus on more strategic responsibilities.
"AI is like a calculator for CFAs," said Michael DeMassa, founder of Forza Wealth Management. He explained that while the technology can automate certain processes, it lacks the human element essential for the profession.
Anna Joo Fee echoed this sentiment, pointing out the limitations of current AI. She emphasized that models cannot yet replicate crucial human skills such as interpreting a client's body language, building trust, or providing empathetic financial advice during volatile market conditions. These soft skills remain a core component of a financial analyst's value.
Concerns About Skill Development
A primary concern raised by professionals like DeMassa is the potential impact on the training and development of new analysts. Many junior CFAs build their foundational skills by performing the very tasks that are most likely to be automated by AI, such as data gathering, financial modeling, and initial report drafting.
The "Calculator" Analogy
DeMassa drew a parallel to education, highlighting the importance of mastering fundamentals before relying on tools.
"If all elementary schools gave kids calculators to learn times tables, then when they get to algebra class, they’re not going to know what the heck they’re doing," he stated. The fear is that over-reliance on AI could create a generation of financial professionals who lack a deep, intuitive understanding of the principles underlying their work.
This raises important questions for financial firms and educational institutions about how to adapt training programs. Future curriculum may need to focus more on strategic thinking, ethical considerations, and client relationship management—areas where human intelligence remains superior. The challenge will be to ensure that new professionals still gain the hands-on experience necessary to build true expertise.
The Future of AI in Finance
The ability of AI to pass the CFA Level III exam is a clear signal that the technology is ready to play a more significant role in the financial sector. Initially, this is likely to manifest as advanced co-pilots or assistants that help analysts work more efficiently and accurately.
AI could be used to:
- Analyze massive datasets to identify market trends and investment opportunities faster than humanly possible.
- Automate the creation of initial drafts for investment reports and client communications.
- Run complex simulations to model portfolio performance under various economic scenarios.
- Ensure compliance by automatically checking reports and recommendations against regulatory standards.
As the technology continues to improve, its integration will likely deepen. However, for the foreseeable future, the role of the chartered financial analyst will be to guide, interpret, and validate the outputs of these powerful AI tools, applying a layer of human judgment and ethical oversight that technology alone cannot provide.