Generative AI at Work / Erik Brynjolfsson, Danielle Li, Lindsey R. Raymond.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Brynjolfsson, Erik.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Li, Danielle.

Raymond, Lindsey R.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w31161.

NBER working paper series no. w31161

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2023.

Summary:

New AI tools have the potential to change the way workers perform and learn, but little is known about their impacts on the job. In this paper, we study the staggered introduction of a generative AI-based conversational assistant using data from 5,179 customer support agents. Access to the tool increases productivity, as measured by issues resolved per hour, by 14% on average, including a 35% improvement for novice and low-skilled workers but with minimal impact on experienced and highly skilled workers. We provide suggestive evidence that the AI model disseminates the best practices of more able workers and helps newer workers move down the experience curve. In addition, we find that AI assistance improves customer sentiment, increases employee retention, and may lead to worker learning. Our results suggest that access to generative AI can increase productivity, with large heterogeneity in effects across workers.

Notes:

Print version record

April 2023.