A map of a field still being invented

Where does the economics of AI go next?

Explore every paper as part of a research neighborhood, then follow nearby work and underexplored questions. Distance suggests intellectual similarity—not geography.

Browse the complete 110-paper index ↓

Dense literatureOpen territory

About this project

A living guide to an expanding literature.

Fieldwork is an independent research project by Ben Kim. It makes economics research on artificial intelligence easier to discover, compare, and question—without pretending that citation counts or an algorithm can replace reading the papers.

Coverage: 110 economics-centered papers across six research neighborhoods
Review cycle: Updated quarterly · current review September 2026 · next review December 2026
Data: OpenAlex discovery, Crossref metadata and citations, plus economics repositories and original publisher pages
AI disclosure: Created with ChatGPT assistance for discovery, metadata cleanup, summaries, classification, and interface development; sources remain linked for verification

Search the field

AUTHORUNIVERSITY

Research neighborhoods110

110 VISIBLE / ALL 110 PAPERS MAPPEDAI economics, seen as a connected systemEach line has a reason. Select a paper to reveal it.

WHY LINES APPEARShared authorShared conceptSame field

CIRCLE AREA = CITATIONS

102501,000+

Crossref · 2026-09-06

SELECTED PAPER06 / 110

Labor & tasksTOP 5 · QJE

Generative AI at Work

Brynjolfsson, Li & Raymond · 2025

Stanford University · MIT

MAIN FINDINGS

Access to AI assistance increases worker productivity, as measured by issues resolved per hour, by 15% on average, with substantial heterogeneity across workers. The effects vary significantly across different agents.

Crossref abstract

CROSSREF CITATIONS864

SOURCEQJE

Open original source ↗

WHY THIS PAPER CONNECTS

Circle area scales with Crossref’s “is-referenced-by” count, retrieved 2026-09-06; N/A papers use the minimum size. Counts differ across indexes and will not exactly match Google Scholar. Connection lines show similarity, not citations.

FIELD SIGNALS

LABOR experiments growing fastest

DATA GAP small-firm adoption

NEW EDGE agents × market design

METHOD exposure → causal effects

Who is shaping the field?

Follow the people.
Trace the institutions.

Counts show papers in this atlas, not a quality ranking. Select a name to filter the map and index together.

TOP 5 COVERAGEAER4ReStat3QJE4ECMA3JPE115 PAPERS

AUTHORS · BY PAPERS

UNIVERSITIES · BY PAPERS

Institution tags combine available publication metadata with a curated author-affiliation layer. Coverage is directional and can include more than one university per paper.

The readable layer

110 papers.
One clear index.

The map shows intellectual shape; this index makes the underlying literature easy to scan. Search an author, narrow to a neighborhood, or open a source.

SEARCH ALL PAPERSNEIGHBORHOODAUTHORUNIVERSITY

SORT

110RESULTS

NO.YEARPAPER & AUTHORSFIELDCITEDSOURCE

012026Algorithmic CredentialismBlair & GuoPolicy & distribution0NBER↗022026Artificial Intelligence, Productivity, and the Workforce: Evidence from Corporate ExecutivesBaslandze, Edwards, Graham et al.Firms & adoption3NBER↗032026Automation and Rent Dissipation: Implications for Wages, Inequality, and ProductivityAcemoglu & RestrepoLabor & tasks11QJE↗042026Behavioral Economics of AI: LLM Biases and CorrectionsBini, Cong, Huang & JinMarkets & competition0NBER↗052026Beyond Exposure: Predicting AI Adoption Based on Comparative AdvantageLindenlaub, Oh, Rodriguez & VeldkampLabor & tasks0NBER↗062026Canaries in the Gold Mine: Early Productivity Gains from AI Creating Organization CapitalBabina, He & JiangFirms & adoption0NBER↗072026Chaining Tasks, Redefining Work: A Theory of AI AutomationDemirer, Horton, Immorlica, Lucier & ShahidiLabor & tasks8NBER↗082026Does Generative AI Narrow Education-Based Productivity Gaps?Cruces, Fernández Meijide, Galiani, Gálvez & LombardiLabor & tasks6NBER↗092026Firm Data on AIYotzov, Barrero, Bloom et al.Firms & adoption9NBER↗102026Let's Chat: Leveraging Chatbot Outreach for Improved Course PerformanceMeyer, Page, Mata et al.Policy & distribution0NBER↗112026Task-Specific Technical Change and Comparative AdvantageAlthoff & ReichardtLabor & tasks0NBER↗122026The Microstructure of AI DiffusionBonney, Breaux, Dinlersoz, Foster, Haltiwanger & PandeFirms & adoption2NBER↗132026The Politics of AIBloom & MakridisPolicy & distribution1NBER↗142026Understanding Firms' AI Efforts and Their Economic ImpactTania BabinaFirms & adoption2NBER↗152026What Investment Data Implies about the AI TransitionJessica Wachter & Jonathan WachterGrowth & innovation1NBER↗162026What Work Does Generative AI Do?Bick, Blandin, Deming & SchumacherLabor & tasks0NBER↗172025AI-Powered Trading, Algorithmic Collusion, and Price EfficiencyDou, Goldstein & JiMarkets & competition26NBER↗182025Algorithmic Coercion with Faster PricingBrown & MacKayMarkets & competition3NBER↗192025Artificial Intelligence and the Labor MarketHampole, Papanikolaou, Schmidt & SeegmillerLabor & tasks77NBER↗202025Artificial Intelligence in Team Dynamics: Who Gets Replaced and Why?Cheng, Dogan & YildirimLabor & tasks5NBER↗212025Artificial Intelligence, Competition, and WelfareAthey & Scott MortonMarkets & competition1NBER↗222025Generative AI at WorkBrynjolfsson, Li & RaymondLabor & tasks864QJE↗232025Misaligned by Design: Incentive Failures in Machine LearningAutor, Caplin, Martin & MarxMeasurement & methods0NBER↗242025Shifting Work Patterns with Generative AIDillon, Jaffe, Immorlica & StantonLabor & tasks22NBER↗252025Still Waters, Rapid Currents: Early Labor Market Transformation under Generative AIHumlum & VestergaardLabor & tasks23NBER↗262025Technological Disruption in the Labor MarketDeming, Ong & SummersLabor & tasks18NBER↗272025Technology and Labor Markets: Past, Present, and FutureLiu, Papanikolaou, Schmidt & SeegmillerLabor & tasks1NBER↗282025The Unequal Adoption of ChatGPT Exacerbates Existing Inequalities Among WorkersHumlum & VestergaardLabor & tasks84PNAS↗

292024AI Adoption in America: Who, What, and WhereMcElheran et al.Firms & adoption132JEMS

302024Applying AI to Rebuild Middle Class JobsDavid AutorLabor & tasks118NBER↗

312024Artificial Intelligence, Firm Growth, and Product InnovationBabina et al.Firms & adoption1,197Journal of Financial Economics

322024Automation: Theory, Evidence, and OutlookPascual RestrepoGrowth & innovation9Annual Review of Economics↗332024Concentrating Intelligence: Scaling and Market Structure in Artificial IntelligenceKorinek & VipraMarkets & competition2NBER↗

342024Firm Investments in Artificial Intelligence Technologies and Changes in Workforce CompositionBabina et al.Firms & adoption24Management Science

352024Market Power in Artificial IntelligenceJoshua GansMarkets & competition7NBER↗362024Old Moats for New Models: Openness, Control, and Competition in Generative AIAzoulay, Krieger & NagarajMarkets & competition10NBER↗372024Race Adjustments in Clinical Algorithms Can Help Correct for Racial Disparities in Data QualityZink, Obermeyer & PiersonPolicy & distribution23PNAS↗382024The Adoption of ChatGPTHumlum & VestergaardLabor & tasks22IZA↗392024The Evolution of Technological Substitution in Low-Wage Labor MarketsAaronson & PhelanLabor & tasks8ReStat↗402024The Rapid Adoption of Generative AIBick, Blandin & DemingLabor & tasks109NBER↗412024The Simple Macroeconomics of AIDaron AcemogluGrowth & innovation134Economic Policy↗422023Automating Automaticity: How Human Choice Affects Algorithmic BiasAgan, Davenport, Ludwig & MullainathanPolicy & distribution13NBER↗432023Combining Human Expertise with Artificial Intelligence: Experimental Evidence from RadiologyAgarwal, Moehring, Rajpurkar & SalzMeasurement & methods109NBER↗

442023Economic Growth under Transformative AIDavidsonGrowth & innovation—Working paper

452023Experimental Evidence on the Productivity Effects of Generative Artificial IntelligenceNoy & ZhangLabor & tasks1,634Science↗462023Generative AI and Firm ValuesEisfeldt, Schubert & ZhangFirms & adoption131NBER↗472023Generative AI for Economic Research: Use Cases and Implications for EconomistsAnton KorinekMeasurement & methods280Journal of Economic Literature↗482023GPTs Are GPTs: An Early Look at the Labor Market Impact Potential of Large Language ModelsEloundou, Manning, Mishkin & RockLabor & tasks—arXiv↗492023Navigating the Jagged Technological FrontierDell'Acqua et al.Labor & tasks—HBS↗502023Super Mario Meets AI: Experimental Effects of Automation and Skills on Team Performance and CoordinationDell'Acqua, Kogut & PerkowskiFirms & adoption27ReStat↗

512023Taxation and the Robot RevolutionCostinot & WerningPolicy & distribution—NBER

522023The Impact of AI and Cross-Border Data Regulation on International Trade in Digital ServicesSun & TreflerMarkets & competition9NBER↗532023The Impact of AI on Developer Productivity: Evidence from GitHub CopilotPeng et al.Labor & tasks—arXiv↗542023The Potential Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Healthcare SpendingSahni, Stein, Zemmel & CutlerPolicy & distribution82NBER↗

552023The Short-Term Effects of Generative Artificial Intelligence on EmploymentHui, Reshef & ZhouLabor & tasks0SSRN

562022AI Adoption in a Competitive MarketJoshua GansFirms & adoption3NBER↗

572022Artificial Intelligence Adoption and System-Wide ChangeAgrawal, Gans & GoldfarbFirms & adoption31JEMS

582022Artificial Intelligence and Jobs: Evidence from Online VacanciesAcemoglu, Autor, Hazell & RestrepoLabor & tasks75Journal of Labor Economics↗592022Artificial Intelligence in Science: An Emerging General Method of InventionBianchini, Müller & PelletierGrowth & innovation167Research Policy↗602022Artificial Intelligence, the Evolution of the Healthcare Value Chain, and the Future of the PhysicianDranove & GarthwaitePolicy & distribution5NBER↗

612022Automation and InequalityMoll, Rachel & RestrepoPolicy & distribution—Econometrica

622022Automation and the Workforce: A Firm-Level View from the 2019 Annual Business SurveyAcemoglu et al.Firms & adoption45NBER

632022Diagnosing Physician Error: A Machine Learning Approach to Low-Value Health CareMullainathan & ObermeyerMeasurement & methods102QJE↗642022How Artificial Intelligence Technology Affects Productivity and Employment: Firm-Level Evidence from TaiwanChih-Hai YangFirms & adoption480Research Policy↗652022Productivity and Wages in the AI RevolutionLazear, Shaw, Hayes & JedrasLabor & tasks0NBER↗

662022Tasks, Automation, and the Rise in U.S. Wage InequalityAcemoglu & RestrepoGrowth & innovation594Econometrica

672022The Turing Trap: The Promise & Peril of Human-Like Artificial IntelligenceErik BrynjolfssonPolicy & distribution176Daedalus

682021Artificial Intelligence, Globalization, and Strategies for Economic DevelopmentKorinek & StiglitzPolicy & distribution138NBER

692021Deep Learning for Individual HeterogeneityFarrell, Liang & MisraMeasurement & methods—Econometrica

702021Occupational, Industry, and Geographic Exposure to Artificial IntelligenceFelten, Raj & SeamansLabor & tasks428Strategic Management Journal↗712021The Adjustment of Labor Markets to RobotsDauth, Findeisen, Suedekum & WoessnerLabor & tasks463JEEA↗

722021The Productivity J-CurveBrynjolfsson, Rock & SyversonFirms & adoption—AEJ: Macroeconomics

732021Understanding Algorithmic Discrimination in Health EconomicsBasu, Hammarlund, Khor & BansalPolicy & distribution0NBER↗742020An Economic Approach to Regulating AlgorithmsRambachan, Kleinberg, Mullainathan & LudwigMeasurement & methods22NBER↗752020Are Ideas Getting Harder to Find?Bloom, Jones, Van Reenen & WebbGrowth & innovation778American Economic Review↗762020Artificial Intelligence, Algorithmic Pricing, and CollusionCalvano et al.Markets & competition559American Economic Review↗772020Nonrivalry and the Economics of DataJones & TonettiMarkets & competition830American Economic Review↗782020Robots and Jobs: Evidence from US Labor MarketsAcemoglu & RestrepoLabor & tasks3,304Journal of Political Economy↗

792020The Economics of Attention MarketsEvansMarkets & competition14Working paper

802020The Wrong Kind of AI? Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Labour DemandDaron AcemogluPolicy & distribution508Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society

812019AI and the EconomyFurman & SeamansGrowth & innovation442Innovation Policy and the Economy↗

822019Artificial Intelligence and Economic GrowthAghion, Jones & JonesGrowth & innovation361NBER

832019Artificial Intelligence and Its Implications for Income Distribution and UnemploymentKorinek & StiglitzGrowth & innovation99NBER

842019Automation and New Tasks: How Technology Displaces and Reinstates LaborAcemoglu & RestrepoLabor & tasks2,257Journal of Economic Perspectives↗

852019Data, Privacy, and the Greater GoodAbowd & SchmutteMarkets & competition—Science

862019Dissecting Racial Bias in an Algorithm Used to Manage the Health of PopulationsObermeyer, Powers, Vogeli & MullainathanPolicy & distribution6,047Science↗872019Generalized Random ForestsAthey, Tibshirani & WagerMeasurement & methods1,428Annals of Statistics↗882019Machine Learning Methods That Economists Should Know AboutAthey & ImbensMeasurement & methods919Annual Review of Economics↗892019Text as DataGentzkow, Kelly & TaddyMeasurement & methods1,153Journal of Economic Literature↗902019The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Labor MarketMichael WebbLabor & tasks277SSRN↗912019Toward Understanding the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on LaborFrank, Autor, Bessen, Brynjolfsson & RahwanLabor & tasks552PNAS↗922018AI, Labor, Productivity and the Need for Firm-Level DataSeamans & RajFirms & adoption72NBER↗

932018Artificial Intelligence and Its Implications for Income DistributionKorinek & StiglitzPolicy & distribution139NBER

942018Artificial Intelligence, Automation and WorkAcemoglu & RestrepoLabor & tasks519NBER↗952018Double/Debiased Machine Learning for Treatment and Structural ParametersChernozhukov et al.Measurement & methods2,668The Econometrics Journal↗

962018Estimation and Inference of Heterogeneous Treatment Effects Using Random ForestsWager & AtheyMeasurement & methods2,322JASA

972018Human Decisions and Machine PredictionsKleinberg, Lakkaraju, Leskovec, Ludwig & MullainathanMarkets & competition416QJE↗982018Predictive Modeling of U.S. Healthcare Spending in Late LifeEinav, Finkelstein, Mullainathan & ObermeyerPolicy & distribution135Science↗992018Robots at WorkGraetz & MichaelsLabor & tasks1,853ReStat↗

1002018Should We Fear the Robot Revolution?Acemoglu & RestrepoPolicy & distribution—NBER

1012018The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on InnovationCockburn, Henderson & SternGrowth & innovation337NBER

1022018The Race between Man and MachineAcemoglu & RestrepoLabor & tasks2,624American Economic Review↗

1032017AI and the Modern Productivity ParadoxBrynjolfsson, Rock & SyversonFirms & adoption325NBER

1042017Machine Learning: An Applied Econometric ApproachMullainathan & SpiessMeasurement & methods1,603Journal of Economic Perspectives↗1052017The Future of Employment: How Susceptible Are Jobs to Computerisation?Frey & OsborneLabor & tasks5,469Technological Forecasting and Social Change↗

1062016The Economics of PrivacyAcquisti, Taylor & WagmanMarkets & competition10Journal of Economic Literature

1072016The Risk of Automation for Jobs in OECD CountriesArntz, Gregory & ZierahnLabor & tasks347OECD↗1082015Prediction Policy ProblemsKleinberg, Ludwig, Mullainathan & ObermeyerMarkets & competition426AER Papers & Proceedings↗1092015Why Are There Still So Many Jobs? The History and Future of Workplace AutomationDavid AutorLabor & tasks2,917Journal of Economic Perspectives↗1102014Big Data: New Tricks for EconometricsHal VarianMeasurement & methods1,177Journal of Economic Perspectives↗

Coverage note: This is a curated research corpus, not yet an exhaustive or automated database. “Top 5” means regular articles in AER, ReStat, QJE, Econometrica, or JPE; AER Papers & Proceedings and sibling journals are excluded. Working-paper and published versions are sometimes listed separately when they materially changed.

Methods & transparency

Ingest broadly.
Curate carefully.
Publish provenance.

This atlas is a research aid, not a systematic review. Inclusion, field labels, similarity links, open-area proposals, and paper summaries involve judgment. ChatGPT was used throughout the research and development workflow; every record links back to a public source so readers can inspect the underlying work.

01
Discover quarterly
Search OpenAlex and economics sources including NBER, RePEc, SSRN, and arXiv; then compare new candidates with the existing corpus.
02
Resolve and review
Deduplicate working-paper and journal versions, check authors and publication records, and exclude papers that mention AI without making a substantive economics contribution.
03
Enrich transparently
Use Crossref for citation counts and metadata. LLM-assisted summaries are concise interpretations, not quotations or substitutes for the original abstracts and findings.
04
Map relationships
Connections reflect shared authors, shared concepts, or membership in the same research neighborhood. They do not claim a causal or citation relationship.

Where does the economics of AI go next?

A living guide to an expanding literature.

Follow the people.Trace the institutions.

110 papers.One clear index.

Ingest broadly.Curate carefully.Publish provenance.

Follow the people.
Trace the institutions.

110 papers.
One clear index.

Ingest broadly.
Curate carefully.
Publish provenance.