, Columnist
AI Hype Is Proving to Be a Solow's Paradox
Tech enthusiasts think artificial intelligence is going to boost productivity overnight in the workplace, but history says otherwise.
Don’t get too excited.
Photographer: Authenticated News/Archive PhotosAI enthusiasts, beware: predictions that the technology will suddenly boost productivity eerily echo those that followed the introduction of computers to the workplace. Back then, we were told that the miraculous new machines would automate vast swaths of white-collar work, leading to a lean, digital-driven economy.
Fast forward 60 years, and it’s more of the same. Shortly after the debut of ChatGPT in 2022, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology claimed employees would be 40% more productive than their AI-less counterparts.