Dr. Erik Brynjolfsson stands as a preeminent scholar bridging economic theory with the transformative power of digital technologies. He currently serves as the Jerry Yang and Akiko Yamazaki Professor and Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence where he directs the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. Previously he spent over two decades at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as the Schussel Family Professor of Management Science at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His academic journey began with earning both a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) and a Master of Science (S.M.) in Applied Mathematics and Decision Sciences from Harvard University in 1984 before completing his PhD in managerial economics at MIT.
Brynjolfsson pioneered the empirical measurement of information technology's productivity contributions establishing foundational methodologies that have shaped economic research on digital transformation. His groundbreaking work quantified the value of online product variety coining the influential Long Tail concept that transformed understanding of digital commerce economics. As co-author of the New York Times bestseller The Second Machine Age Work Progress and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies he articulated the economic and societal implications of artificial intelligence for a global audience. His extensive research portfolio includes over 100 academic articles nine books and five patents that examine the precise mechanisms through which digital technologies reshape business strategy economic productivity and workforce dynamics.
Through his leadership of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab Brynjolfsson continues to advance critical research on how organizations can responsibly harness AI and emerging technologies for economic growth. His expertise is sought by major institutions including the National Bureau of Economic Research and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston where he previously served on the Academic Advisory Council. An influential voice in policy discussions to address the societal implications of technological advancement. Brynjolfsson remains actively engaged in shaping the global conversation about technology's economic future through speaking engagements advisory roles and ongoing scholarly contributions that bridge academia industry and public policy.
