Subvolts take Focus on human choices, not AI tech, to shape a prosperous AI future. Jul 20, 2026 - Business
- Learn how organizational and institutional choices, not just technology, shape AI's economic impact and how to foster shared prosperity.
This episode features a prominent economist discussing AI's societal and economic implications, offering valuable insights beyond technical details.
Creating Shared Prosperity With AI: Stanford Digital Economy Lab’s Erik Brynjolfsson
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From Subvolts
Summary and analysis by Subvolts editorial, AI-assisted.
In this episode of Me, Myself, and AI, host Sam Ransbotham speaks with economist Erik Brynjolfsson about creating shared prosperity with AI. Brynjolfsson argues that human choices, not technology, are the main barrier to progress. He draws on research about AI's impact on jobs, productivity, and growth, emphasizing that the future is shaped by our decisions today.
This episode discusses how people, not just computers, decide how AI affects jobs and the economy. It explains that we can choose to use AI to create more wealth for everyone, but we need to make the right decisions now.
This episode offers a perspective on AI's societal impact beyond just the technology itself. Brynjolfsson, a Stanford economist, challenges listeners to consider how humans will adapt to and utilize AI, rather than passively receiving its effects. It is for business leaders and policymakers concerned with economic growth and job markets. This conversation connects to current discussions at frontier labs about AI's role in productivity and the economy, moving beyond pure technical advancement to practical implementation and societal benefit.
- HostSam Ransbotham
- HostShervin Khodabandeh
- GuestErik BrynjolfssonGuest, Stanford University
- Guest: Erik Brynjolfsson
- Episode Title: Creating Shared Prosperity With AI
- Show: Me, Myself, and AI
- Length: 40 minutes
- Guest Affiliation: Stanford University
Erik Brynjolfsson has a challenge for anyone worried about artificial intelligence: Stop asking what AI will do to us, and start asking what we will do with AI.
In this episode, the Stanford University economist explains why technology isn’t the biggest barrier to progress — people, organizations, and institutions are. Drawing on new research into AI’s impact on jobs, productivity, and economic growth, he argues that the future isn’t predetermined: It will be shaped by the choices we make today. This is a timely conversation about human agency, shared prosperity, and why the most important AI breakthroughs may have less to do with technology than with how we use it. Read the episode transcript here.
Guest bio: Erik Brynjolfsson is the Jerry Yang and Akiko Yamazaki Professor and senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, and director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. He is also the Ralph Landau Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, professor by courtesy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Stanford Department of Economics, and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research.
A best-selling author, Brynjolfsson focuses his research on examining the effects of information technologies on business strategy, productivity and performance, digital commerce, and intangible assets.
Me, Myself, and AI is a podcast produced by MIT Sloan Management Review and hosted by Sam Ransbotham. It is engineered by David Lishansky and produced by Allison Ryder.
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Questions people ask
- What is the main challenge Erik Brynjolfsson presents regarding AI?
- Brynjolfsson challenges people to stop asking what AI will do to us and start asking what we will do with AI.
- What does Brynjolfsson argue is the biggest barrier to AI progress?
- He argues that people, organizations, and institutions, not technology itself, are the biggest barriers to progress.
Page generated Oct 19, 2026. Summaries are Subvolts' own; the audio, artwork and notes belong to MIT Sloan Management Review.