Artificial Intelligence: The Ambiguous Labor Market Impact of Automating Prediction

Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans and Avi Goldfarb

No 25619, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Recent advances in artificial intelligence are primarily driven by machine learning, a prediction technology. Prediction is useful because it is an input into decision-making. In order to appreciate the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs, it is important to understand the relative roles of prediction and decision tasks. We describe and provide examples of how artificial intelligence will affect labor, emphasizing differences between when automating prediction leads to automating decisions versus enhancing decision-making by humans.

JEL-codes: J20 O33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-big, nep-cmp, nep-lma and nep-pay
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (103)

Published as Ajay Agrawal & Joshua S. Gans & Avi Goldfarb, 2019. "Artificial Intelligence: The Ambiguous Labor Market Impact of Automating Prediction," Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol 33(2), pages 31-50.

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Journal Article: Artificial Intelligence: The Ambiguous Labor Market Impact of Automating Prediction (2019)
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