Publications: Robert D. Atkinson

Fixing the EU’s productivity, innovation, and competitiveness crisis requires a fundamental political reorientation. Until it makes that shift, expect more reports, more tinkering, and more decline.

Boosting U.S. competitiveness in national power industries is necessary, but not sufficient to avoid losing to China. America also must take measures to slow the PRC’s progress toward global dominance. This report provides more than 100 actionable recommendations for the administration and Congress. Western allies should take many of the same steps.

AI isn’t about to wipe out entry-level jobs. The data says otherwise, history contradicts it, and productivity gains will create new opportunities.

A poll built on leading questions, false choices, and fearmongering does not reflect actual public opinion on AI. It shows how to optimize disinformation for partisan messaging.

Despite what the apostles of artificial general intelligence warn, there is no reason to think AGI will get here anytime soon, if ever.

Seventy percent of young Koreans hold university degrees. Only 14 percent of jobs are in large firms. The most immediate concern is not jobs disappearing due to AI, but that there are too few high-quality jobs in the first place.

Rather than proposing universal basic income as the solution to robots supposedly taking all our jobs, the task should be to improve federal worker adjustment assistance programs.

WEF should articulate a global productivity agenda to make a meaningful contribution, because the kind of capitalism we have today is not the reason for slow growth in many developing economies.

We should want companies to shed workers they no longer need. Productivity gains flow to lower prices, higher wages, and long-term growth. Don’t slow innovation—accelerate it.

A quarter century after the dot-com revolution, artificial intelligence is prompting similar waves of exuberance and alarm. History suggests AI may face short-term hiccups, but is more likely headed toward robust, sustained growth.