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Economists Urge Action on AI Disruptions

New York Times Business •
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Nearly 200 economists have signed a letter urging policymakers to take more aggressive action to understand and respond to potential A.I. disruptions. The letter, organized by leading academic researchers, warns that artificial intelligence could reshape labor markets, widen inequality, and create systemic risks that current regulatory frameworks are ill-equipped to handle.

Signatories include Nobel laureates and former government advisers who argue that the pace of A.I. development has outstripped policy preparedness. They call for dedicated government offices to monitor A.I. impacts, mandatory impact assessments for high-risk systems, and increased funding for research on societal implications.

The economists emphasize that proactive policy could harness A.I.'s productivity benefits while mitigating displacement. Without intervention, they warn, the technology could concentrate gains among a few firms and regions, deepening economic divides. The letter arrives as Congress debates competing A.I. governance bills and the White House implements its executive order on safe A.I. development.