Stanford University

Position Title/Short Description

Full Text of JOE Listing:

The position will have a priority project, led by Professor Erik Brynjolfsson, as well as the opportunity to work with other faculty and PIs at Stanford. This position's priority project will be to drive cutting-edge research at the intersection of economics and Transformative AI, contributing to an ambitious initiative to reimagine economic theory and metrics for an AI-powered future. (https://digitaleconomy.stanford.edu/the-economics-of-transformative-ai/).

The Stanford Digital Economy Lab (DEL) is exploring and developing the economic theories, metrics, and policies needed to guide a world powered by Transformative AI (TAI). TAI, which is expected to reshape productivity, scientific progress, labor markets, and wealth distribution, presents unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Our goal is to ensure TAI-driven economic growth results in widely shared prosperity and human flourishing.

This effort will draw upon DEL’s existing research on AI, digital transformation, and economic measurement to pioneer a forward-looking economic model for the TAI-powered future. We are assembling a world-class team to investigate critical questions around productivity, labor, value creation, and governance in the age of TAI.

The ideal candidate will work closely with DEL faculty, researchers, and staff to develop insights, theories, and quantitative tools that address key economic questions in a TAI-enabled world, including those related to distribution, concentration, inequality, information flows, geopolitics and trade, AI safety and alignment, well-being, and a host of other important topics.

Our research projects balance rigor and relevance, aiming to produce papers for top academic journals while also contributing insights that may inform policy and practice.

We’re looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher with extensive experience in economic theory, quantitative modeling, and technology-driven economic analysis. The ideal candidate will bring:

Strong Foundation in Economic Theory: Ability to apply economic models to analyze the impacts of Transformative AI and advanced technologies on productivity, labor markets, and economic structures.

Quantitative and Computational Skills: Proficiency in computational tools and data analysis (e.g., Python, R, agent-based modeling) for developing economic simulations and analyzing large datasets.
Research and Publication Record: Demonstrated success in conducting independent research, with a record of peer-reviewed publications or working papers in relevant fields.

Communication and Collaboration: Excellent verbal and written English language skills to facilitate engagement with a multidisciplinary team and high-level stakeholders, including academics and industry executives. Experience in organizing and participating in workshops and conferences is a plus.

PhD: A PhD in Economics, Computer Science, or a related field, with the Doctorate conferred before the start date.