As concerns grow about the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and its potential to displace millions of workers, Anthropic, a leading AI start-up, reportedly unveiled a research initiative today aimed at tracking and addressing AI’s economic consequences.
Dubbed the Economic Futures Program, the effort expands on a data-gathering project launched in February, known as the Economic Index.
Executives at Anthropic described the new initiative as a deliberate push to ground debates about AI’s effects in empirical evidence rather than predictions or ideology.
“Everyone is asking what AI means for jobs and the economy,” said Sarah Heck, head of policy programs and partnerships at Anthropic. “Our goal is to understand what is actually happening—whether the effects are helpful or harmful—and then convene researchers and policymakers to develop thoughtful responses.”
This month, CEO Dario Amodei made headlines by warning that AI could eliminate up to half of entry-level white-collar roles and drive unemployment to 20 percent within five years.
These stark forecasts have drawn attention from Washington and beyond, fueling broader discussions on workforce resilience and social safety nets.
The Economic Futures Program will pursue three main avenues. First, it will award rapid-response grants—up to $50,000—to academics and independent researchers producing data-driven studies of AI’s impact on labor markets, productivity and value creation.
Second, it will host policy forums in Washington, D.C., and Europe this fall aimed at developing actionable frameworks to manage AI-driven disruptions.
Finally, it will expand Anthropic’s existing public data index to track AI adoption trends and economic markers over time.
Anthropic’s initiative diverges from that of other AI firms, such as OpenAI, whose recently released economic blueprint focused primarily on facilitating adoption and infrastructure development, rather than tracking job losses.
Anthropic’s efforts speak to a growing trend among AI companies—like OpenAI and even ride-hailing firms such as Lyft—to engage proactively with the societal costs of their innovations.
Critics, however, caution that a program funded by an industry player may carry conflicts of interest.
Still, experts emphasize the need for better data, particularly as some policymakers propose sweeping remedies like universal basic income or targeted retraining programs.
Anthropic’s effort arrives at a pivotal moment: as economies adapt to automation, accurate measurement of displacement and opportunity will be vital.
“Without real-world data, policy responses will be reactive and uninformed,” said one labor economist unaffiliated with the company.
In revealing this program, Anthropic—recently valued at more than $60 billion—casts itself not only as a technology pioneer but also as an active participant in shaping how societies navigate AI’s fast-approaching economic transformation.
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