Google expands AI & Economy Research Program with Nobel laureate and leading economists

Google announced the expansion of its AI & Economy Research Program, appointing Nobel Laureate Philippe Aghion and Professor Ajay Agrawal as advisors to study AI’s macroeconomic and labor-market impacts. Aghion, the 2025 Nobel Laureate in Economics, will apply his work on innovation-led growth and creative destruction to model AI’s long-term economic trajectory. Agrawal, a Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, will focus on the economics of AI-driven scientific discovery and robotics.

The program also named Anu Madgavkar and Daniel Rock as directors to lead empirical projects and integrate research insights. Madgavkar, formerly of McKinsey Global Institute, brings expertise in labor markets and technology adoption, while Rock’s background includes research on AI’s economic effects. Their roles include steering projects that analyze global AI diffusion, productivity, and workforce transitions.

The initiative builds on Google’s AI & Economy ATLAS v1.0, an open-access platform tracking real-time adoption of Google’s AI tools in workplaces and daily life. The program emphasizes multidisciplinary collaboration among academia, industry, and policymakers to address AI’s societal and economic implications.

The expanded team will focus on four core areas: the future of work, productivity and growth, global technology diffusion, and AI’s impact on scientific discovery. Their research aims to provide actionable insights for organizations, workers, and policymakers navigating AI-driven economic shifts.