Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/246011 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Series/Report no.: 
CREMA Working Paper No. 2021-28
Publisher: 
Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA), Zürich
Abstract: 
The history of AI in economics is long and winding, much the same as the evolving field of AI itself. Economists have engaged with AI since its beginnings, albeit in varying degrees and with changing focus across time and places. In this study, we have explored the diffusion of AI and different AI methods (e.g., machine learning, deep learning, neural networks, expert systems, knowledgebased systems) through and within economic subfields, taking a scientometrics approach. In particular, we centre our accompanying discussion of AI in economics around the problems of economic calculation and social planning as proposed by Hayek. To map the history of AI within and between economic subfields, we construct two datasets containing bibliometrics information of economics papers based on search query results from the Scopus database and the EconPapers (and IDEAs/RePEc) repository. We present descriptive results that map the use and discussion of AI in economics over time, place, and subfield. In doing so, we also characterise the authors and affiliations of those engaging with AI in economics. Additionally, we find positive correlations between quality of institutional affiliation and engagement with or focus on AI in economics and negative correlations between the Human Development Index and share of learning-based AI papers.
Subjects: 
Artificial Intelligence
Machine Learning
Economics
Scientometrics
Scienceof Science
Bibliometrics
JEL: 
B40
N01
A14
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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