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The Economic Impacts of Artificial Intelligence: A Multidisciplinary, Multi-book Review

Kevin A. Bryan

Journal of Economic Literature2026https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.20251799article
AJG 4ABDC A*
Weight
0.50

Abstract

This essay reviews seven books from the past dozen years by social scientists examining the economic impact of artificial intelligence (AI). These works offer valuable insights—AI as cheap prediction, architectural barriers to adoption, data as an economic asset, implementation challenges. However, they offer little guidance when it comes to the transformative scenarios considered plausible by many AI researchers. Economists have made great progress in explaining how to use AI within existing production functions, who benefits, and why; what remains needed is rigorous advice to policymakers concerned about rapid increases in labor churn, scientific development, labor–capital shifts, or existential risk. (JEL C45, C80, D83, O31, O36)

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.20251799

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@article{kevin2026,
  title        = {{The Economic Impacts of Artificial Intelligence: A Multidisciplinary, Multi-book Review}},
  author       = {Kevin A. Bryan},
  journal      = {Journal of Economic Literature},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.20251799},
}

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The Economic Impacts of Artificial Intelligence: A Multidisciplinary, Multi-book Review

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.