On March 31, ISET hosted a session of its Research Seminar Series in, featuring Salome Baslandze (Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania), an ISET alumna currently affiliated with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Joining remotely, the speaker presented her co-authored research titled “Artificial Intelligence, Productivity, and the Workforce: Evidence from Corporate Executives” to an in-person audience.
Based on a survey of nearly 750 corporate executives, the study finds that AI adoption is already widespread but uneven, with stronger uptake among larger firms. It documents positive productivity effects – especially in high-skill services and finance – driven mainly by innovation and demand factors, with gains expected to grow further in 2026.
The research also identifies a “productivity paradox,” where perceived gains exceed measured outcomes, and finds limited evidence of immediate job losses. Instead, it points to a gradual shift in labor demand, with declining routine roles and increasing need for skilled technical workers.
