OpenAI launches Economic Research Exchange to study AI's labor market impact

OpenAI launched the Economic Research Exchange on June 8, 2026, a new initiative designed to fund and coordinate independent research into how AI systems affect labor markets, productivity, and economic structures. The program is now accepting applications from academic and independent researchers for selected projects.

The exchange targets questions that have grown urgent as generative models reach commercial scale: which job categories face displacement, where productivity gains concentrate, and how economic benefits distribute across income brackets. OpenAI positions the program as a mechanism to surface empirical findings ahead of policy debates, though the company will fund the work and host the resulting data infrastructure.

Scope and researcher support

Researchers can propose observational studies, field experiments, or model-based analyses. OpenAI has not disclosed funding caps or the number of slots available, but the official announcement indicates a review process will prioritize projects with access to novel datasets or natural experiments. Selected teams will receive financial support and, in some cases, access to anonymized usage data from OpenAI's enterprise customer base, subject to privacy agreements.

The program arrives as labor economists and policymakers press AI vendors for transparency on workforce effects. OpenAI says findings will be published in peer-reviewed venues, though the company retains no editorial control over conclusions. Applications are open now with no stated deadline.