As job losses loom, Anthropic launches program to track AI's economic impact

Anthropic launches Economic Futures Program to research AI's impact as job changes loom.

: Anthropic introduces the Economic Futures Program to study AI's influence on global labor markets and economics with policy proposals. The initiative, supported by CEO Dario Amodei, predicts high unemployment rates and entry-level job disruption in the next five years. It builds on the previous Economic Index by offering grants for rapid research, policy forums, and partnerships. Meanwhile, OpenAI focuses on AI infrastructure and public workforce training, illustrating different tech approaches to looming job-market shifts.

As AI-related job losses become a noticeable concern, Anthropic steps forward with its Economic Futures Program to prepare for potential economic shifts. This initiative is an ambitious effort to analyze the disruption AI may cause in labor markets and the broader economy. According to Sarah Heck from Anthropic, the program aims to foster evidence-based discussions instead of jumping to conclusions on AI's economic impacts. The approach is proactive, exploring both positive and potentially adverse outcomes.

CEO Dario Amodei expresses a cautionary outlook, predicting that AI could eliminate half of all entry-level white-collar jobs and raise unemployment up to 20% within the coming years. This calls for urgent research and policy formulation to address possible repercussions. Therefore, Anthropic's program includes providing up to $50,000 in rapid grants for empirical studies on AI's economic effects and policy proposals, along with hosting symposia to further these discussions.

Anthropic has a history of transparency and collaboration, as evidenced by its Economic Index, which opened aggregated data for public analysis, unlike competitors who often limit data access. The current initiative builds on this by expanding research grants to a larger audience, including independent institutions, to cover labor productivity and value creation. It seeks diverse insight from academics, individuals, and think tanks, notably involving symposia in Washington, D.C., and Europe.

In contrast, OpenAI has taken a different approach with its Economic Blueprint, focusing on infrastructure and AI literacy to encourage broader adoption. OpenAI's partnership with giants like Oracle and SoftBank aims to create jobs through data centers, yet its plans do not explicitly address job losses due to AI. By supporting AI literacy and regional training, OpenAI approaches the issue from a developmental and educational angle.

While different strategies exist, Anthropic’s initiative represents a shift where tech companies are actively positioning themselves as participants in crafting solutions to the disruptions their innovations may cause. Companies like Lyft are also exploring ways to adapt, as seen in its move to integrate robotaxis, signaling an industry-wide acknowledgment of future workforce challenges and opportunities.

Sources: TechCrunch, Axios, New York Times, Anthropic

Generative AIResearchfunding