Future of Labor

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The new wave of technologies, such as robotics and AI, will have long-lasting impacts on the labor market. Jobs will be displaced, new tasks created, different skills demanded, teams reshaped, and new management practices will emerge. Organizations and the broader economy will also change. These technologies may benefit and disadvantage workers unevenly, potentially increasing inequality. Education and training systems, along with the institutions that support them, must adapt. At the same time, demographic challenges driven by aging populations and declining fertility will significantly affect labor. How will these forces shape the future of work, and how should we prepare for them? How might the meaning of work evolve, and what policies will be needed to ensure the dignity of workers? We are entering a new era of increasing uncertainty regarding labor and work. Addressing these challenges requires a holistic understanding. This course will be interdisciplinary—grounded in economics but also drawing on insights from history, philosophy, public policy, computer science, and related disciplines. The goal of this course is to provide students with a framework for understanding and analyzing how new technologies like robotics and AI are affecting and will affect the labor market. Students will (1) read and discuss both economics and less quantitative materials, (2) conduct original research by collecting and analyzing data on the labor market, and (3) experiment with AI agents to gain firsthand experience of the future of work. Ultimately, students will develop perspectives on how cognitive and physical AI may impact jobs, occupations, income distribution, and social institutions. They will also consider how education, training, and redistribution policies can help mitigate the disruptions created by technological change.