VoxTalks Economics

In this discussion, Pelin Ozgul, a researcher from the University of Maastricht, delves into how AI can enhance training for call center agents, ultimately boosting productivity. Nathan Vieira from Aix Marseille University analyzes the effectiveness of short-time work schemes in Europe, emphasizing the intricate relationships between employers, employees, and government. Deepakshi Singh of the University of Groningen examines the effects of droughts on female employment in India, questioning if an increase in jobs signifies true empowerment or merely a survival strategy. A thought-provoking exploration!

Michele Ruta, an economist at the International Monetary Fund and editor of 'The State of Globalisation,' delves into the evolving landscape of global economic flows. He explains how these flows are being redefined rather than retreating and discusses the implications for trade policies and industrial strategies. Ruta highlights the concept of tariff jumping investments and the rise of connector countries as key players in modern supply chains. He also addresses the complexities of U.S.-China trade dynamics and the importance of adaptability in an uncertain global market.

Morgane Richard, a Stanford researcher specializing in remote work's effects on housing markets, shares insights on how the shift to working from home has reshaped housing preferences. She explores the surge in demand for larger homes outside urban centers as people seek more space due to flexible work arrangements. The discussion highlights economic disparities, with non-remote workers bearing the brunt of rising costs, and underscores the need for policy changes to address the inequalities created in the housing market. It's a compelling look at the new dynamics of home buying in a post-Covid world.

Steve Davis, an expert from the Hoover Institution and SIEPR, dives into the shifts in work patterns post-pandemic. He contrasts the pre-Covid stigma of remote work with its current acceptance and discusses how hybrid models are reshaping employee preferences. Davis highlights the demographic changes fueled by the flexibility in work arrangements and the implications for job security. He also addresses management challenges in maintaining team dynamics remotely and emphasizes the need for strong communication skills as the labor market adapts.

If we focus on the cutting edge of AI implementation, we’re also focusing on a small set of technologically advanced countries. How will AI affect work in the rest of the world, what should those countries do to prepare, and how can they make best use of the technology? Giovanni Melina of the IMF is one of the authors of two papers that calculates both the exposure of jobs to AI around the world, and the readiness of those countries to meet the challenge of using AI effectively at work.  He talks to Tim Phillips about the extent of the exposure to AI in emerging markets and developing countries, whether those countries have the infrastructure to implement applications of the technology, and the policies that would be most effective to increase their preparedness. 

 In the second of special series recorded live at the PSE-CEPR Policy Forum 2025, we are asking, how good is AI at doing real-world job task? And how can we measure their capability without resorting to technical benchmarks that may not mean much in the workplace? Since we all became aware of large language models, LLMs scientists have been attempting to evaluate how good they are at performing expert tasks. The results of those tests can show us whether LLMs  can be useful complements to our work, or even replacements for us, as many fear. But setting or grading a test to decide whether an LLM can do a problem-solving job task, rather than solve an abstract problem, isn't easy to do.  Maria del Rio-Chanona, a computer scientist at UCL, tells Tim Phillips about her innovative work-in-progress, in which she asks an LLM to set a tricky workplace exam, then tells another LLM to take the test – which a third LLM evaluates.

David Autor, an MIT economist known for his insights on AI's impact on jobs, discusses the dual nature of automation in the workplace. He explores how AI can displace jobs while also creating high-skill opportunities, emphasizing the evolving value of expertise. Autor highlights the importance of understanding dynamic expertise in a labor market reshaped by technology. He advocates for AI systems that enhance collaboration with skilled professionals and offers a framework for measuring job expertise, addressing both challenges and potential benefits of the future of work.

The Bank for International Settlements Annual Economic Report has just dropped, and there’s a markedly less positive tone than last year, when it was celebrating imminent soft landings in the global economy. It warns of a deteriorating outlook for growth, coupled with vulnerabilities in the global financial system.  So, what exactly is the BIS worried about, how can policy and regulation respond, and should central banks start worrying about the next systemic crisis? Gaston Gelos and Frank Smets are Deputy Heads of the Monetary and Economic Department at the BIS and are also two of the authors who put together the report. They talk to Tim Phillips about why last year’s optimism has disappeared, and how monetary and fiscal policy can adjust to cope with a new era of uncertainty and fragmentation. 

Whether you are looking at the link from education to economic growth, household earnings or individual happiness, there’s no doubt that a better-educated population is good news. But how can policy improve education in a cost-effective way? You might assume that a good route would be to improve the management of schools, but existing research is not conclusive, and often top-down attempts to improve management meets opposition from administrators. An experiment in Brazil has evaluated a program to improve management using existing resources in Rio de Janeiro. Tiago Cavalcanti, of University of Cambridge, Sao Paulo School of Economics & CEPR, and Felipe Puccioni of the Court of Accounts of Rio de Janeiro came up with the experiment, and they tell Tim Phillips about why universal education doesn’t necessarily mean universal learning – and how they became celebrities on national television when their successful project hit the headlines.

Pedestrianised areas, car-free streets, or low traffic neighbourhoods are increasingly visible in major cities. Whether in London, Paris, New York or Barcelona, these changes are always controversial – but does the loud criticism that we often hear in social media or newspapers really represent the views of voters who are affected by these policies? Elisabet Viladecans-Marsal of the Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona Institute of Economics and CEPR spoke to Tim Phillips about whether Barcelona’s car-free “Superblocks” were vote-winners or vote-losers for the city’s mayor. Photo: Cataleirxs