12 free resources on this topic. Everything here is free and hand-picked. You can also search within this topic.
The ninth annual State of AI Report, written by investor Nathan Benaich of Air Street Capital. A 244-slide review of the year in AI research, industry, and politics, readable in the browser or as a free PDF. Each edition includes the author's graded predictions from earlier reports.
McKinsey Global Institute report (September 2026) on how AI, automation and structural trends are reshaping US jobs, examining which skills are growing or declining in demand and the pathways workers take into future jobs.
Future of Life Institute report in which AI experts grade leading AI companies on safety and security practices.
Kyndryl's 2025 Readiness Report, drawing on data from its Kyndryl Bridge platform and a survey of business leaders on IT infrastructure readiness, AI adoption, and preparedness for future risks. Kyndryl is an IT services company reporting on its own research.
Stanford HAI's annual flagship report tracking AI progress across research, the economy, education, policy, and public opinion. The 2025 edition compiles data on model capability, training costs, industry investment, and workforce effects, with downloadable charts and datasets.
Why I recommend it: Free to download from Stanford HAI. It is a self-published report from a university institute; figures are sourced within the report, but some industry-investment and capability numbers rely on data supplied by the companies being measured. Treat headline rankings as the report's own synthesis, not neutral fact.
NYCEDC's monthly data briefing on the city's economy as of September 24, 2026: private-sector employment down 12,900 in August, unemployment at 4.8% after six straight monthly declines, labor force participation at 62.1%, median asking rent near $4,000, plus office visitation, tourism, and transit numbers.
Why I recommend it: The one-page-per-topic format makes this the fastest way to sound current on the NYC economy in an interview or a client meeting. Read the jobs and small-business pages; skip the real-estate detail unless it touches your field. It is a city agency's own read of its own economy, so pair it with the raw BLS numbers if you need the unspun version.
Fast Forward's 2026 report on how tech nonprofits are using AI to serve people and communities.
Why I recommend it: Written by an accelerator that funds these nonprofits, so expect an optimistic view. It's still a good look at real AI-for-good projects.
A free report from Emergence AI surveying agentic AI in enterprise settings — where agents are being deployed and what governs them.
Why I recommend it: Read it as an industry vendor's view of where agent work is going, useful context if you're targeting AI roles.
A free Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies brief (September 2026) on Black employment, wages, unemployment and the sectors driving the gaps.
Why I recommend it: Data you can quote. Useful if you are making the case for a hiring or pay decision and need a source rather than an opinion.
Free annual research on wellbeing from the University of Oxford's Wellbeing Research Centre with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, covering how work, community and trust shape how people feel about their lives.
Why I recommend it: Useful evidence when you are weighing a job on more than salary.
Statista chart showing how people are using AI tools for education and learning purposes.
Why I recommend it: Useful data point for anyone building or explaining AI-powered learning tools.
LeadDev's annual research report on how AI is reshaping engineering teams, productivity, and leadership decisions.
Why I recommend it: Useful for managers and ICs who want data, not hype, on how AI tools are actually changing engineering work.
