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SIEPR

Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, an independent policy research centre at Stanford University.

Last refreshed: 1 June 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

What does Stanford's SIEPR research actually say about who loses work to AI?

Timeline for SIEPR

#1127 May

Mentioned in: Fed governor names AI job-loss risk

AI: Jobs, Power & Money

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Common Questions

What has SIEPR found about AI and jobs?

SIEPR research has found that employment falls for workers who use AI to automate tasks but grows for those who use it to learn new skills or augment existing work. A separate study tracking 200,000 households found that ChatGPT users spent time saved on leisure rather than upskilling.Source: SIEPR research reports 2025–2026

Who is Erik Brynjolfsson and what does he say about AI?

Erik Brynjolfsson is a Stanford economist and SIEPR affiliate who studies AI, productivity, and labour markets. He co-authored The Second Machine Age and has argued that AI can increase productivity significantly, but that the gains depend heavily on how firms and workers adapt.Source: SIEPR

What did SIEPR's 2026 Economic Summit say about AI workers?

At its March 2026 summit, SIEPR brought together economists to assess AI's employment impact. Key findings included that unemployment is rising more slowly for the most AI-exposed occupations than for other workers, and that the Nature of AI use, automation versus augmentation, is the primary determinant of job outcomes.Source: Stanford Report / SIEPR summit coverage, March 2026

Background

The Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) has become one of the most cited academic sources in the 2025-2026 debate on AI's impact on employment. Its annual Economic Summit addressed AI workforce disruption in March 2026, bringing together economists including former Bureau of Labour Statistics chief Erika McEntarfer alongside Stanford researchers. SIEPR-affiliated work has found that employment is falling for workers using AI to automate tasks while growing for those using AI to augment their capabilities, a nuance that cuts against both AI-utopian and AI-doomerist framings.

SIEPR was established in 1994 within Stanford University's School of Humanities and Sciences. It funds independent research by Stanford economists and hosts policy forums connecting academic work with government and business decision-makers. Its Stanford Digital Economy Lab — a sibling institution — conducts complementary empirical research on AI's economic effects, and SIEPR's Erik Brynjolfsson is among the most prominent economists studying AI and productivity.

SIEPR research published in 2025-2026 tracked 200,000 US households and found that ChatGPT users spent saved time on leisure rather than skill development, adding complexity to optimistic productivity narratives. SIEPR's work is regularly cited by Federal Reserve governors and Treasury officials in framing AI's macroeconomic implications.

Source Material

AI and the Economy — SIEPR Policy Forum Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research

How the World Sees Them

Technology industry

Silicon Valley firms cite SIEPR productivity research selectively; findings that AI augments workers tend to receive more corporate amplification than findings that automation reduces employment.

United States policymakers

SIEPR research is regularly cited by Fed governors and White House economic advisers when framing AI's macroeconomic implications for employment and productivity.

International labour bodies

The ILO has cited Stanford-affiliated research alongside its own NASK collaboration when building the methodological case for occupational exposure indices.