People I (Mostly) Admire 83. “There's So Many Problems — Which Ones Can I Make a Difference On?”
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Jul 9, 2022 
In this engaging dialogue, Susan Athey, a Professor at Stanford and chief economist at the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, tackles pressing global issues using economic insights. She shares her journey transitioning from academia to tech, highlighting partnerships that promote innovation. The conversation dives into vaccine production and the role of advanced commitments, alongside discussions on navigating carbon markets and data privacy. Plus, Susan recounts a daring chicken rescue from a coyote, showcasing her adventurous side!
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Unexpected Opportunity
- Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's CEO, contacted Susan Athey after reading an article about her auction expertise.
- He sought her help to compete with Google in online ad auctions.
Search Engine's Impact
- Search engines in the mid-2000s presented novel challenges like AI, machine learning, A/B testing, and information access.
- These emerging technologies offered a multi-decade research agenda.
Bridging Machine Learning and Economics
- Machine learning experts excelled at predictive modeling, like image classification, but lacked tools for causal inference.
- Economists, however, possessed the tools to analyze cause and effect but needed to adapt them to large datasets.