Acemoglu’s case for AI that makes workers more valuable

AI’s effect on jobs is not preordained, argues MIT economist Daron Acemoglu. Much of the industry is pursuing automation: teaching systems to take over tasks people already perform, which can reduce the need for workers even when it makes a company more efficient. Acemoglu wants a different target—AI that helps people make better judgments, learn skills faster, handle more complex work, and take on new kinds of tasks. The distinction matters because higher productivity alone does not say who benefits; the choices made by developers, employers, and policymakers will help determine whether AI concentrates rewards or expands the value of human expertise.