Brent Orrell

4 weeks ago | aei.org | Will Rinehart |John Bailey |Brent Orrell

Executive SummaryThe United States stands at a critical juncture in AI policy where measured, strategic governance is essential for maintaining technological leadership. Overregulation risks stifling innovation, while a fragmented state-by-state approach creates compliance burdens that disproportionately impact smaller companies. Rather than rushing new regulations, we should leverage existing legal frameworks, and implement targeted, evidence-based interventions only where clearly necessary.

1 month ago | aei.org | Brent Orrell |Tanner Nalley

We appear to be approaching the break-out phase of artificial intelligence’s diffusion across the American economy. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, recent data from the University of Maryland’s  AI job tracker finds that nearly 25 percent of tech job postings earlier this year mentioned AI skills. And it isn’t just the tech sector that’s hiring—finance, professional services, retail, and manufacturing are all on the hunt for staff who can help them integrate AI into their operations.

1 month ago | aei.org | Brent Orrell

You know the labor market times are changing when Harvard MBAs start showing up in the unemployment stories. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, 23 percent of recent Harvard Business School grads were still looking for work three months after graduation. In 2022, that figure was only 10 percent. Other top-rated programs report similar trends. What’s going on?  Share of Job-Seeking MBA Graduates Without Jobs Three Months After GraduationAs usual, the answer seems to be multi-factorial.

1 month ago | brentorrell.substack.com | Brent Orrell

Last year, I published a report, The Age of Uncertainty, on the challenges in understanding and estimating the job and skill impacts of artificial intelligence. One of the big problems was how quickly expert estimates become outdated, not due to any fault on the part of the experts, but because of how rapidly AI is evolving. Two reports from the Brookings Institution—one from 2019 and another just last week—illustrate the fluid and unpredictable nature of AI development.

1 month ago | aei.org | Brent Orrell |Tanner Nalley

Last year, I published a report, The Age of Uncertainty, on the challenges in understanding and estimating the job and skill impacts of artificial intelligence. One of the big problems was how quickly expert estimates become outdated, not due to any fault on the part of the experts, but because of how rapidly AI is evolving. Two reports from the Brookings Institution—one from 2019 and another just last week—illustrate the fluid and unpredictable nature of AI development.