Alex Imas

@aleximas.bsky.social

7.5K followers 3K following 950 posts

Economics + Applied AI, Prof at University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Formerly: Carnegie Mellon, UCSD, Northwestern.

Website: www.aleximas.com

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Economics 32%

Business 23%

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Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 17d

Some news: I’ve started a Substack, largely focused on AI, tech, and economics more broadly.

I've always loved the essay format. It helps me explore ideas more formally w/o the 5 year publishing gauntlet.

Consider subscribing:

open.substack.com/pub/aleximas...

Links to all posts below:

Ghosts of Electricity | Alex Imas | Substack

Essays on the economics of AI and technological change. Click to read Ghosts of Electricity, by Alex Imas, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

open.substack.com

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 7d

I wrote up some (late) predictions for 2026, mostly as a way to guide my own thinking and priorities.

Overall: 2026 is the year we will finally see real visible societal changes in response to AI. Discuss 3 reasons: agents, recursive science, continual learning.

open.substack.com/pub/aleximas...

Some (late) predictions for 2026

Outlining how I plan to spend my year.

open.substack.com

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 9d

Thank you Marciano!

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 9d

Yes that’s a great example.

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 9d

Thank you Tim!

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 10d

Importantly, this is a living post. I will update it continuously as new data comes in. If you see something I'm missing, please let me know and I will add it.

For regular updates, please consider subscribing to the substack. Here is the link: aleximas.substack.com

Ghosts of Electricity | Alex Imas | Substack

Essays on the economics of AI and technological change. Click to read Ghosts of Electricity, by Alex Imas, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

aleximas.substack.com

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 10d

There is also a disconnect on who benefits most: micro (mostly) finds low-skill/less-experienced workers see higher returns, the (limited) macro evidence is more mixed but leans toward higher wage/higher ed people seeing more of the benefits. 2/n

Reposted by Paolo Crosetto, Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia, Peter Bergman

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 10d

New post: What is the impact of AI on productivity?

I review all of the studies and data that I can find and try to provide a synthesis.

A disagreement emerges: micro studies find positive benefits but these benefits are yet to show up in the macro data.

aleximas.substack.com/p/what-is-th... 🧵

What is the impact of AI on productivity?

Reconciling the micro and the macro evidence

aleximas.substack.com

Reposted by Alex Imas

Anna Stansbury @annastansbury.bsky.social · 11d

Does this reflect "discrimination"? We can't test this directly. But we think it's likely that there is systemic discrimination by socioeconomic background in academia

(Following the very useful framework by Bohren, @instrumenthull.bsky.social @aleximas.bsky.social

(20/22)

Reposted by Alex Imas

Ethan Mollick @emollick.bsky.social · 16d

GPT-5.2 Pro is good enough to check reproducibility & robustness of academic papers across many fields (given the data, can you get the same results? are the statistics brittle?). I wouldn't trust it to automate decisions, but to flag them.

It can't do an independent replication with new data, yet.

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 17d

Thanks Hernan!

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 17d

5. Can AI agents help in matching markets? Yes, but require markets and prices. Otherwise there’s a tragedy of the commons.

open.substack.com/pub/aleximas...

The Tragedy of the Agentic Commons

Eliciting preferences using AI improves matches, but everyone getting their own agent will still necessitate markets

open.substack.com

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 17d

4. Why can’t your AI agents book your flight? The need for a parallel internet and legal clarity for agentic interactions.

open.substack.com/pub/aleximas...

Why Can’t Your AI Agent Book a Flight?

The need for a parallel internet and legal clarity for agentic interactions

open.substack.com

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 17d

3. Can advanced AI lead to negative growth? Considering the role of demand in the economics of AI.

open.substack.com/pub/aleximas...

Can advanced AI lead to negative economic growth?

Considering the role of demand in the economics of AI

open.substack.com

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 17d

2. Can a Transformer “Learn” Economic Relationships?
Revisiting the Lucas Critique in the age of Transformers.

open.substack.com/pub/aleximas...

Can a Transformer “Learn” Economic Relationships?

Revisiting the Lucas Critique in the age of Transformers.

open.substack.com

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · 17d

1. Will money exist in the agentic economy?

Yes.

open.substack.com/pub/aleximas...

Will money still exist in the agentic economy?

Yes

open.substack.com

Reposted by Alex Imas

conputer dipshit @davidcrespo.bsky.social · Jan 7

have only read the first 1/4, but this by @aleximas.bsky.social looks very interesting on the range of conditions under which unemployment due to automation would lead to demand collapse

Can advanced AI lead to negative economic growth?

Considering the role of demand in the economics of AI

aleximas.substack.com

Reposted by Alex Imas

Joseph Sommer @bayesandbounds.bsky.social · Dec 31

Thaler & Imas (@aleximas.bsky.social ; @rthaler.bsky.social): The Winner's Curse

I've read a lot of JDM (pic 2 related) and figured this would be a nice review of behavioral econ. It was that, but also such a great presentation w/ plenty I'd never seen- and I'm a sucker for anyone who praises Simon

Reposted by Alex Imas

koenfucius @koenfucius.bsky.social · Dec 3

Thoughtful thread by @aleximas.bsky.social on the potential of AI-driven automation for disrupting the labour market, and how to anticipate it:

buff.ly/PWYhkap

Reposted by Alex Imas

Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · Nov 19

Behavioral Economics, Then and Now: A Conversation With @aleximas.bsky.social — behavioralscientist.org/behavioral-e...

Reposted by Alex Imas

Angela Duckworth @angeladuckworth.bsky.social · Nov 18

it was so much fun to host @rthaler.bsky.social and @aleximas.bsky.social @upenn.edu for a conversation about The Winner’s Curse and the evolution of behavioral economics.

missed it? check out the recording on the @bcfginitiative.bsky.social youtube channel!

youtu.be/hH8UgQb-x4A

Reposted by Alex Imas

Katy Milkman @katymilkman.bsky.social · Nov 18

I'm excited to share access to a video of the conversation @angeladuckworth.bsky.social & I hosted at Wharton w/ our brilliant friends @rthaler.bsky.social & @aleximas.bsky.social about their new book THE WINNER'S CURSE & how behavioral econ has evolved in the last 30 years. youtu.be/hH8UgQb-x4A?...

The Anomalies That Changed Economics | Richard Thaler and Alex Imas

YouTube video by Behavior Change For Good Initiative

youtu.be

Reposted by Alex Imas

Marcelo Rinesi @marcelorinesi.bsky.social · Nov 18

I think spot on and applies elsewhere; in volume-driven/time-constrained areas the competitive advantage of AI can make it an strategic necessity even if the new equilibrium is worse for everybody.1/

by Leonardo Bursztyn, @aleximas.bsky.social @rafaeljjd.bsky.social Aaron Leonard & Christopher Roth

Social Dynamics of AI Adoption

Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...

www.nber.org

Reposted by Alex Imas

Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · Nov 11

.@rthaler.bsky.social and @aleximas.bsky.social teamed up to update The Winner's Curse, a landmark book in behavioral economics. In doing so, they chart where behavioral economics began, where it is now, and where it could go next.
behavioralscientist.org/behavioral-e...

Behavioral Economics, Then and Now: A Conversation With Alex Imas - by Heather Graci - Behavioral Scientist

Alex Imas and Richard Thaler teamed up to update a landmark book in behavioral economics. In doing so, they chart where behavioral economics began, where it is now, and where it could go next.

behavioralscientist.org

Reposted by Alex Imas

Katy Milkman @katymilkman.bsky.social · Oct 21

Happy pub day to THE WINNER'S CURSE by @rthaler.bsky.social + @aleximas.bsky.social!
The original (1992) version of this book changed my life -- it's the reason I study judgment and decision making. For a preview of the new edition, check out my Q&A w/ the authors t.co/n3ThOxpJak

Reposted by Alex Imas

Ben Waber @bwaber.bsky.social · Oct 10

Next was a great discussion with @aleximas.bsky.social and Richard Thaler on changing perspectives around behavioral economics anomalies at the Julis-Rabinowitz Center for Public Policy & Finance www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v8O... (6/7)

Alex Imas and Richard Thaler on Behavioral Economics Anomalies: Then and Now

YouTube video by Markus' Academy

www.youtube.com

Reposted by Alex Imas

Behavior Change for Good Initiative @bcfginitiative.bsky.social · Sep 29

‼️Event Alert‼️ Join @angeladuckworth.bsky.social & @katymilkman.bsky.social for a conversation with Nobel Prize winning economist @rthaler.bsky.social and Professor @aleximas.bsky.social about their new book, The Winner’s Curse.

📅 Thurs, Oct 23 | 4-5PM
📍 Huntsman Hall G06
📩RSVP: bit.ly/4nbI9EG

Reposted by Alex Imas

Uma Karmarkar @umakarma.bsky.social · Sep 26

ONE WEEK! The Society for Neuroecon conference is in Cambridge, MA in 1 week!

We are thrilled to have @amberalhadeff.bsky.social and @aleximas.bsky.social as the speakers for our neuroscience and social/decision science workshops

neuroeconomics.org/workshops/

Workshops - Society For Neuroeconomics

neuroeconomics.org

Alex Imas @aleximas.bsky.social · Sep 21

Probably longer than you need, but Richard Thaler and I have a book coming out trying to do just that. The chapters on Risk and Utility are especially pertinent: a.co/d/4HpJfEt

Amazon.com

a.co

Reposted by Alex Imas

Chicago Booth Review @chicagoboothreview.bsky.social · Aug 14

Why do students lie about using AI?

Chicago Booth's @aleximas.bsky.social talks about perceptions of AI use in the classroom.

www.chicagobooth.edu/review/podca... #econsky

Why Students Lie About Using AI

Chicago Booth’s Alex Imas talks about perceptions of AI use in the classroom.

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