As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes a new gateway to development data, a quiet but significant risk has emerged. Large language models (LLMs) can now summarize reports, answer data queries, and interpret indicators in seconds. But while these tools promise convenience, they also raise a fundamental question: How can we ensure that the numbers they produce […]
Fintech has improved efficiency and inclusion in banking, especially lending, but has also raised concerns about financial stability, privacy, discrimination, and overall wellbeing. This column introduces a framework that outlines the differences between fintech firms and traditional banks and how fintech affects frictions in lending. New technologies influence the differentiation between banks and fintechs and […]
The U.S. stock market’s bull run is almost three years old, but if history is a guide, that would make it only middle-aged. The S&P 500 has set a series of record highs in the lead-up to Sunday’s anniversary of the start of the bull market on October 12, 2022. On that date three years ago, […]
Quantitative analysis of how AI impacts our professional lives, the integrity of organisations, and even our cognitive skills is essential to harness the power of these new technologies. This column summarises evidence on some of the benefits AI can bring and also the complex challenges it presents, and highlights the need to create a system […]
Artificial intelligence tools can now produce highly realistic text, images, and videos at almost no cost, prompting concerns that the proliferation of fabricated content may mean mainstream news outlets lose both the trust and demand of their audience. This column reports the results of a field experiment in partnership with one of Germany’s most respected […]
Britain’s ambition to rev up its economy and tap the AI revolution faces the harsh reality that the abundant, clean and reliable electricity supply this requires is unlikely to materialise any time soon. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has laid out several major industrial policies aimed at reviving Britain’s sluggish economy, including by pouring investment into the artificial […]
A federal judge ruled on Wednesday for Meta Platforms against a group of authors who had argued that its use of their books without permission to train its artificial intelligence system infringed their copyrights. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria, in San Francisco, said in his decision, that the authors had not presented enough evidence that Meta’s AI would […]
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the financial sector. This column introduces the seventh report in The Future of Banking series, which examines the fundamental transformations induced by AI and the policy challenges it raises. It focuses on three main themes: the use of AI in financial intermediation, central banking and policy, and regulatory challenges; the […]
Artificial intelligence is widely seen as a transformative force for productivity and innovation. Yet, its macroeconomic implications remain uncertain, especially from a global perspective. This column shows how structural differences in AI exposure, preparedness, and access in advanced economies, emerging markets, and low-income countries shape the distribution of AI-induced productivity gains. While improvements in AI […]
Public employment services are rapidly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a range of sophisticated digital tools. According to a recent survey, half of the public employment agencies in OECD countries have implemented AI solutions such as chatbots that assist with service inquiries, profiling models to assess jobseeker needs, tools that guide job-search strategies, and […]
