National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Journal & researchFreeTechnology & Ethicsnber.org

The non-profit, non-partisan research organisation behind most influential US economics working papers, including much of the research on AI and jobs.

Why I recommend it: NBER working papers are free to download, but most are not yet peer reviewed. Treat headline findings as early evidence.

#economics #job markets #labor market #research #working papers

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Overview

An American private nonprofit research organization that publishes economic research for policymakers, business and academia.

Known for setting the official start and end dates of US recessions. Its president is James M. Poterba of MIT.

History

Ongoing
Many chairs of the Council of Economic Advisers were previously NBER research associates.

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Our own read, not the publication's.

Working papers on AI's effects on jobs, wages and productivity.

Background from Wikipedia, checked October 5, 2026.

From this publication

nber.org

Free

Research Paper

Business & Economics

AI and the Gig Economy: Evidence from Upwork

A NBER research paper exploring the impact of AI on gig economy platforms like Upwork.

#AI#Gig Economy#NBER

nber.orgAdded Oct 15, 20260 opens

nber.org

Free

Research Paper

Research & Papers

O-Ring Automation (NBER Working Paper 34639)

Authors: Joshua Gans, Avi Goldfarb
Venue: NBER Working Paper 34639
Published: January 2026

Joshua Gans and Avi Goldfarb's January 2026 NBER working paper modeling how automating some tasks in a chain of interdependent tasks changes the value of the remaining human work. Free PDF.

#automation#economics#ai-jobs

nber.orgAdded Sep 29, 20260 opens

nber.org

Free

Research Paper

Career & Professional Optimization

The Value of One Office Day a Month (NBER Working Paper 35331)

Authors: Cevat Giray Aksoy, Nicholas Bloom, Steven J. Davis
Venue: NBER Working Paper 35331
Published: June 2026

Cevat Giray Aksoy, Nicholas Bloom, Steven J. Davis and co-authors estimate how much workers value small amounts of in-office time versus fully remote work (June 2026).

Why I recommend it: Handy for negotiating hybrid arrangements. Bloom is a long-time advocate of hybrid work; the paper is not yet peer reviewed.

#economics#hybrid work#remote work#research#workplace

nber.orgAdded Sep 24, 20260 opens

nber.org

Free

Research Paper

Technology & Ethics

Revealing Life Preferences Through LLMs (NBER Working Paper 35185)

Authors: Omar Abdel Haq, Amitabh Chandra, Tomáš Jagelka
Venue: NBER Working Paper 35185
Published: May 2026

Omar Abdel Haq, Amitabh Chandra, Tomáš Jagelka and co-authors use large language models to elicit and measure people's life preferences and trade-offs (May 2026).

Why I recommend it: An experimental method, not yet peer reviewed. Using AI to stand in for or interview people carries bias risks the authors themselves discuss.

#economics#large language models#preferences#research#research methods

nber.orgAdded Sep 24, 20260 opens

nber.org

Free

Research Paper

Technology & Ethics

When Is Discrimination Unfair? (NBER Working Paper 30236)

Authors: Peter Kuhn, Trevor Osaki
Venue: NBER Working Paper 30236
Published: July 2022

Peter Kuhn and Trevor Osaki survey people on which kinds of hiring and pay discrimination they consider unfair, and why.

Why I recommend it: A working paper based on survey attitudes — it tells you what people think is fair, not what the law allows.

#ai ethics#discrimination#economics#fairness#hiring#job markets#research

Anthropic's October 18 announcement proposes committing 5% of shares, subject to stockholder approval, to a wholly owned Public Benefit Fund LLC. An additional 2% may be added at the board's discretion for each 50% valuation increase above a baseline. Existing founder and employee pledges bring the stated total to roughly 20%. Fund equity will not be used for lobbying or political giving; governance details are still to come.

#public benefit#AI governance#labor market

anthropic.comAdded Oct 19, 20260 opens