AI may raise the bar and thin the pipeline
Zhangxin (Frank) Liu · Science · 18 Jun 2026
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Abstract
In their Perspective “AI raises the productivity bar” (19 February, 10.1126/science.aef5239), L. Wu and B. Vasilescu (1) argue that artificial intelligence (AI) can increase productivity while rewarding workers who already possess strong evaluative and delegation skills. However, they do not address the most important implication of their model. If expertise in evaluation and delegation is now a stronger precondition for productivity than the ability to execute tasks oneself, firms and laboratories may respond not by shedding large numbers of incumbent workers but by quietly reducing entry-level opportunities (1). In that case, aggregate output may remain stable or even rise while the apprenticeship function of organizations weakens. To ensure longterm success, researchers and organizations should assess a broad range of variables that adopting AI could affect.
About this publication
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- 2026 (4 months ago)
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