News brief · Announcement: September 18, 2026 · Checked: September 21, 2026.
Google is expanding its AI & Economy Research Program, adding economists and research leaders to study how AI affects work, productivity and growth. The announcement follows its AI & Economy ATLAS v1.0, which examines how people use Google's AI tools.
What changed
Google named Anu Madgavkar and Daniel Rock as research directors and added external academic expertise. The program will investigate questions including technology adoption, workforce changes and enterprise productivity. Read Google's announcement.
Our take: ask for evidence
This is a research expansion, not a finding that your job will disappear. Adoption data, demonstrated productivity gains and predictions about employment are different things. Readers should check which population a study measures before applying its conclusions to their own work.
For teams trying AI, a useful experiment is small and measurable: pick a task, record time and error rates, and review the output before relying on it. Avoid sharing confidential material without permission.
Editorial note: This brief summarizes a company announcement. It is not independent proof of AI's economic benefits.