Marketplace All-in-One Where's the AI productivity jump?
Feb 18, 2026
Lindsay Raymond, an economist at MIT who studies AI and labor, shares firsthand coding productivity gains she saw with AI tools. She discusses why broad productivity boosts are still scarce and why firms might pause hiring expecting future AI gains. She also touches on shifting student interest toward AI-related computing fields.
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Slow Productivity Signals Despite AI Hype
- Corporate leaders report little change in productivity or employment after adopting generative AI so far.
- Researchers say firms expect bigger effects over the next three years as the technology improves and adoption deepens.
Expectations Change Hiring Before Output
- Companies may be reshaping hiring expectations faster than actual productivity gains appear.
- Anticipation of future AI impacts could already be slowing hiring even without current output increases.
Researcher Reports Personal Coding Boost
- Lindsay Raymond describes a recent personal productivity boost from coding aids that felt dramatic.
- She pinpoints the shift to 'over the holidays' as a sudden change in her own workflow.