US

AI and the Labor Market

Question A:

Use of artificial intelligence over the next ten years will have a negative impact on the earnings potential of substantial numbers of high-skilled workers in advanced countries.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Question B:

Use of artificial intelligence over the next ten years will lead to substantially greater uncertainty about the likely returns to investment in education.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Question C:

Use of artificial intelligence over the next ten years is likely to have a measurable impact in increasing income inequality.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Question A Participant Responses

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Acemoglu
Daron Acemoglu
MIT
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Three major uncertainties. 1. Not clear whether AI will successfully target tasks performed by the highly skilled. Evidence so far shows not. 2. Generative AI can also complement some high skill tasks. 3. Skilled workers can change occupations and shift negative effects to others
-see background information here
-see background information here
-see background information here
Altonji
Joseph Altonji
Yale
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Auerbach
Alan Auerbach
Berkeley
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Autor
David Autor
MIT
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
I think this will be a _relative_ effect not an absolute effect. I don't think that AI will make us poorer, and it may not (or it may) reduce the labor share. But I suspect (hope) that it may contribute to reduced inequality
Banerjee
Abhijit Banerjee
MIT
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
The highest skilled workers will benefit from it. The medium skilled ones will be displaced
Bertrand
Marianne Bertrand
Chicago
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Brunnermeier
Markus Brunnermeier
Princeton
Uncertain
9
Bio/Vote History
Chetty
Raj Chetty
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Chevalier
Judith Chevalier
Yale
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
Cutler
David Cutler
Harvard
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Deaton
Angus Deaton
Princeton
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Duffie
Darrell Duffie
Stanford
Disagree
1
Bio/Vote History
Edlin
Aaron Edlin
Berkeley
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Answer may depend upon meaning of high skill. Sufficiently high skill may be immune.
Eichengreen
Barry Eichengreen
Berkeley
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Einav
Liran Einav
Stanford
Disagree
1
Bio/Vote History
Fair
Ray Fair
Yale
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Finkelstein
Amy Finkelstein
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Goldberg
Pinelopi Goldberg
Yale
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Greenstone
Michael Greenstone
University of Chicago Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Hall
Robert Hall
Stanford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Hart
Oliver Hart
Harvard
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Holmström
Bengt Holmström
MIT
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Hoxby
Caroline Hoxby
Stanford
Uncertain
10
Bio/Vote History
Hoynes
Hilary Hoynes
Berkeley
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Judd
Kenneth Judd
Stanford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Kaplan
Steven Kaplan
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
6
Bio/Vote History
Uncertain. Spreadsheets did not reduce the demand for analysts / investment bankers. Demand increased.
Kashyap
Anil Kashyap
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
some for sure, but net effects including new options created is harder to judge.
Klenow
Pete Klenow
Stanford
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Levin
Jonathan Levin
Stanford
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Hard to predict the mix of automation versus augmentation
Maskin
Eric Maskin
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Nordhaus
William Nordhaus
Yale
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Like all major new technologies, it will be disruptive. It may be more rapid than earlier changes given the speed of diffusion in the electronic age. But whether it will be a large fraction or relative minor, not clear.
Obstfeld
Maurice Obstfeld
Berkeley
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Saez
Emmanuel Saez
Berkeley Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Samuelson
Larry Samuelson
Yale
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
AI may depress the earnings of many highly skilled workers, but may also open new opportunities for high-skill, high-earnings jobs.
Scheinkman
José Scheinkman
Columbia University
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
The implementation of AI will probably be slower than the hype indicates. So it will probably take more time to affect a large number of high skilled workers.
Schmalensee
Richard Schmalensee
MIT
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Shapiro
Carl Shapiro
Berkeley
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Shimer
Robert Shimer
University of Chicago
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Stock
James Stock
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Thaler
Richard Thaler
Chicago Booth Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Udry
Christopher Udry
Northwestern
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
A negative impact on some specialities; positive on others. This is a disruptive technology.

Question B Participant Responses

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Acemoglu
Daron Acemoglu
MIT
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Though there is some uncertainty the burden will fall on less educated workers. Social skills will become valuable, and specialized technical skills as well as higher education will most likely remain protected from AI. The flexibility conferred by education will also be valuable
Altonji
Joseph Altonji
Yale
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Auerbach
Alan Auerbach
Berkeley
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Autor
David Autor
MIT
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Perhaps four-year college degrees won't appear so damn relevant to every well-paid occupation in industrialized economies. That would be a good thing.
Banerjee
Abhijit Banerjee
MIT
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Bertrand
Marianne Bertrand
Chicago
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Brunnermeier
Markus Brunnermeier
Princeton
Strongly Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
Chetty
Raj Chetty
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Chevalier
Judith Chevalier
Yale
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
I imagine that specialized educational programs for particular professions could have more uncertain returns.
Cutler
David Cutler
Harvard
Disagree
4
Bio/Vote History
Deaton
Angus Deaton
Princeton
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Duffie
Darrell Duffie
Stanford
Disagree
1
Bio/Vote History
Edlin
Aaron Edlin
Berkeley
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Eichengreen
Barry Eichengreen
Berkeley
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Einav
Liran Einav
Stanford
Strongly Disagree
1
Bio/Vote History
Fair
Ray Fair
Yale
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Finkelstein
Amy Finkelstein
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Goldberg
Pinelopi Goldberg
Yale
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
Greenstone
Michael Greenstone
University of Chicago Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Hall
Robert Hall
Stanford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Hart
Oliver Hart
Harvard
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Holmström
Bengt Holmström
MIT
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Hoxby
Caroline Hoxby
Stanford
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Hoynes
Hilary Hoynes
Berkeley
Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
Judd
Kenneth Judd
Stanford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Kaplan
Steven Kaplan
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Kashyap
Anil Kashyap
Chicago Booth
Agree
1
Bio/Vote History
Klenow
Pete Klenow
Stanford
Disagree
3
Bio/Vote History
Levin
Jonathan Levin
Stanford
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
AI is improving rapidly at many skills we teach in higher education: synthesizing and distilling information, writing, coding, analytical and quantitative reasoning. Difficult to foresee all the implications, but they will be substantial.
Maskin
Eric Maskin
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Nordhaus
William Nordhaus
Yale
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Do not see it as reducing the returns to education, but is likely to be highly disruptive in that sector. Probabiy increases the uncertainty about the structure of education, but then so did Google for libraries.
Obstfeld
Maurice Obstfeld
Berkeley
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Saez
Emmanuel Saez
Berkeley Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Samuelson
Larry Samuelson
Yale
Disagree
4
Bio/Vote History
AI may well make education all the more important.
Scheinkman
José Scheinkman
Columbia University
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
Schmalensee
Richard Schmalensee
MIT
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Shapiro
Carl Shapiro
Berkeley
Disagree
4
Bio/Vote History
Shimer
Robert Shimer
University of Chicago
Agree
2
Bio/Vote History
Stock
James Stock
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Thaler
Richard Thaler
Chicago Booth Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Udry
Christopher Udry
Northwestern
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
The return to education overall will likely rise substantially, but there will be reductions in returns for many specialized subjects

Question C Participant Responses

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Acemoglu
Daron Acemoglu
MIT
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
While it is possible for generative AI to be a useful tool for noncollege workers, I do not see the current path achieving this, and the existing evidence is more consistent with most of the burden of displacement falling on less educated, lower-wage workers.
-see background information here
Altonji
Joseph Altonji
Yale
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Auerbach
Alan Auerbach
Berkeley
Disagree
3
Bio/Vote History
Autor
David Autor
MIT
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
I think it's slightly more likely to do the opposite.
Banerjee
Abhijit Banerjee
MIT
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Bertrand
Marianne Bertrand
Chicago
Uncertain
6
Bio/Vote History
Brunnermeier
Markus Brunnermeier
Princeton
Uncertain
6
Bio/Vote History
It might benefit different groups than the current high earners and hence might contribute to social mobility.
Chetty
Raj Chetty
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Chevalier
Judith Chevalier
Yale
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
It is plausible that it could decrease income inequality.
Cutler
David Cutler
Harvard
Strongly Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Deaton
Angus Deaton
Princeton
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Duffie
Darrell Duffie
Stanford
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Edlin
Aaron Edlin
Berkeley
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Eichengreen
Barry Eichengreen
Berkeley
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Einav
Liran Einav
Stanford
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Fair
Ray Fair
Yale
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Finkelstein
Amy Finkelstein
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Goldberg
Pinelopi Goldberg
Yale
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Greenstone
Michael Greenstone
University of Chicago Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Hall
Robert Hall
Stanford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Hart
Oliver Hart
Harvard
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Holmström
Bengt Holmström
MIT
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Hoxby
Caroline Hoxby
Stanford
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Hoynes
Hilary Hoynes
Berkeley
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Judd
Kenneth Judd
Stanford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Kaplan
Steven Kaplan
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Kashyap
Anil Kashyap
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Klenow
Pete Klenow
Stanford
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Levin
Jonathan Levin
Stanford
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Maskin
Eric Maskin
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Nordhaus
William Nordhaus
Yale
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
I think the impact on aggregate economic factors for the next decade is exaggerated.
Obstfeld
Maurice Obstfeld
Berkeley
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Saez
Emmanuel Saez
Berkeley Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Samuelson
Larry Samuelson
Yale
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Scheinkman
José Scheinkman
Columbia University
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Schmalensee
Richard Schmalensee
MIT
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Much to early to predict the outcomes of the many decisions involved.
Shapiro
Carl Shapiro
Berkeley
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Shimer
Robert Shimer
University of Chicago
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Stock
James Stock
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Thaler
Richard Thaler
Chicago Booth Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Udry
Christopher Udry
Northwestern
Uncertain
6
Bio/Vote History