The CX Iconoclast

Stanford's Erik Brynjolfsson on the impact of accelerating advances in AI right now

OCX Cognition

In this episode hosted by Richard Owen, Stanford professor Erik Brynjolfsson, an economist and a contributing author to the recent HAI report on the current state of AI on the planet, discusses the impact of AI on productivity. He highlights the rapid technological advances in AI and the significant productivity gains observed in various sectors. Erik emphasizes the importance of focusing on proven use cases and creating business value rather than getting distracted by the hype around AI.

Erik and Richard move on to discuss the risks of underregulating and overregulating AI, with Erik noting that both mistakes will likely be made simultaneously. He also mentions the potential dangers of deep fakes, especially in the context of elections.

The conversation then shifts to Workhelix, both as a company and a tool that Erik and his team developed to help companies systematically plan their AI strategies. Erik explains that Workhelix can analyze a company’s workforce and tasks, providing valuable insights for implementing AI. He expresses optimism about the future of AI and its potential to create shared prosperity. 

The interview concludes with Richard congratulating Erik on the launch of Workhelix and expressing hope for future discussions on the progress of AI. Erik thanks Richard for the engaging conversation and looks forward to future discussions.


Erik is the Director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab, a Professor at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Brynjolfsson is among the most cited researchers in information and economics and his work has been recognized with Ten Best Paper awards and five patents.

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