Igor Letina
@igorletina.bsky.social
Associate professor, Uni Bern | Vice President, Swiss Competition Commission.
Competition policy/IO, innovation economics, contest design.
igorletina.com
Competition policy/IO, innovation economics, contest design.
igorletina.com
Reposted by Igor Letina
I am delighted to share that Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee will join our Department of Economics @econ.uzh.ch at the University of Zurich on July 1, 2026, as Lemann Foundation Professors of Economics.
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October 10, 2025 at 9:01 AM
I am delighted to share that Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee will join our Department of Economics @econ.uzh.ch at the University of Zurich on July 1, 2026, as Lemann Foundation Professors of Economics.
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Reposted by Igor Letina
Next was a jam-packed panel on the competition risks of AI acquihires with @florianederer.bsky.social, @lugaricano.bsky.social, @igorletina.bsky.social, @imarinescu.bsky.social, Hans Zenger, Jonathan Kanter, and @cristinacaffarra.bsky.social at the @cepr.org www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zrS... (4/7)
AI Acquihires: Competition Risks, Talent Battles and Economic Spillovers
YouTube video by CEPR & VideoVox Economics
www.youtube.com
October 10, 2025 at 2:53 AM
Next was a jam-packed panel on the competition risks of AI acquihires with @florianederer.bsky.social, @lugaricano.bsky.social, @igorletina.bsky.social, @imarinescu.bsky.social, Hans Zenger, Jonathan Kanter, and @cristinacaffarra.bsky.social at the @cepr.org www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zrS... (4/7)
Reposted by Igor Letina
Excited to moderate this panel on "AI Acquihires: Competition Risks, Talent Battles and Economic Spillovers" with the antitrust all-star team of Kanter, Garicano, Marinescu, Letina, and Zenger.
Wednesday, 8 October 2025
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (ET)
Registration:
cepr-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Wednesday, 8 October 2025
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (ET)
Registration:
cepr-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: AI Acquihires: Competition Risks, Talent Battles, and Economic Spillovers. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webina...
Antitrust agencies are increasingly confronted with “acquihires” of AI start-ups — yet most cases so far have been waved through under the banner of “uncertainty.” A decade ago, similar caution around...
cepr-org.zoom.us
September 24, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Excited to moderate this panel on "AI Acquihires: Competition Risks, Talent Battles and Economic Spillovers" with the antitrust all-star team of Kanter, Garicano, Marinescu, Letina, and Zenger.
Wednesday, 8 October 2025
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (ET)
Registration:
cepr-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Wednesday, 8 October 2025
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (ET)
Registration:
cepr-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Very happy to see two of my papers cited in the recent CMA report on "Investment and competition over the business lifecycle."
The report provides an excellent overview of the literature. Thanks to @jschneebacher.bsky.social and coauthors for preparing it!
The report provides an excellent overview of the literature. Thanks to @jschneebacher.bsky.social and coauthors for preparing it!
September 20, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Very happy to see two of my papers cited in the recent CMA report on "Investment and competition over the business lifecycle."
The report provides an excellent overview of the literature. Thanks to @jschneebacher.bsky.social and coauthors for preparing it!
The report provides an excellent overview of the literature. Thanks to @jschneebacher.bsky.social and coauthors for preparing it!
A new article in the WSJ on reverse acquihires. The main point it makes is that one group that loses out in a reverse acquihire are the employees who are left behind. This will make it more difficult for future startups to attract employees.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-r...
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-r...
August 17, 2025 at 9:19 AM
A new article in the WSJ on reverse acquihires. The main point it makes is that one group that loses out in a reverse acquihire are the employees who are left behind. This will make it more difficult for future startups to attract employees.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-r...
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-r...
A person sends you an e-mail and you notice that it was written by chatgpt. How do you react?
I don't know why, but I tend to have an instinctive negative reaction to it.
I don't know why, but I tend to have an instinctive negative reaction to it.
August 16, 2025 at 11:34 AM
A person sends you an e-mail and you notice that it was written by chatgpt. How do you react?
I don't know why, but I tend to have an instinctive negative reaction to it.
I don't know why, but I tend to have an instinctive negative reaction to it.
A thread on "reverse acquihires" in the AI space.
Reverse acquihires are characterized by two things: 1) the buyer takes over the most important/talented employees and 2) the buyer pays a hefty sum to the target firm via a side deal.
They are becoming common in the AI space:
Reverse acquihires are characterized by two things: 1) the buyer takes over the most important/talented employees and 2) the buyer pays a hefty sum to the target firm via a side deal.
They are becoming common in the AI space:
August 13, 2025 at 3:42 PM
A thread on "reverse acquihires" in the AI space.
Reverse acquihires are characterized by two things: 1) the buyer takes over the most important/talented employees and 2) the buyer pays a hefty sum to the target firm via a side deal.
They are becoming common in the AI space:
Reverse acquihires are characterized by two things: 1) the buyer takes over the most important/talented employees and 2) the buyer pays a hefty sum to the target firm via a side deal.
They are becoming common in the AI space:
One thing I have not seen mentioned in the discussion about compensation packages for AI engineers is that firms are willing to pay not just for what value those employees bring to them, but also for the value that their competitors lose. In a sense, firms are partly trying to *hoard AI talent* 1/2
Meta Poached Apple’s Pang With Pay Package Over $200 Million
Meta Platforms Inc. has made unusually high compensation offers to new members of its “superintelligence” team — including a more than $200 million package for a former Apple Inc. distinguished engine...
www.bloomberg.com
July 24, 2025 at 3:53 PM
One thing I have not seen mentioned in the discussion about compensation packages for AI engineers is that firms are willing to pay not just for what value those employees bring to them, but also for the value that their competitors lose. In a sense, firms are partly trying to *hoard AI talent* 1/2
Reposted by Igor Letina
I've been working on a new tool, Refine, to make scholars more productive. If you're interested in being among the very first to try the beta, please read on.
Refine leverages the best current AI models to draw your attention to potential errors and clarity issues in research paper drafts.
1/
Refine leverages the best current AI models to draw your attention to potential errors and clarity issues in research paper drafts.
1/
July 24, 2025 at 3:24 AM
I've been working on a new tool, Refine, to make scholars more productive. If you're interested in being among the very first to try the beta, please read on.
Refine leverages the best current AI models to draw your attention to potential errors and clarity issues in research paper drafts.
1/
Refine leverages the best current AI models to draw your attention to potential errors and clarity issues in research paper drafts.
1/
Gems you find while reading about past inducement prizes/innovation contests: in 1936, Polish mathematician Stanisław Mazur offered a live goose to whoever solved one mathematical problem involving Banach spaces. 37 years later, Swedish mathematician Per Enflo got the goose.
July 22, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Gems you find while reading about past inducement prizes/innovation contests: in 1936, Polish mathematician Stanisław Mazur offered a live goose to whoever solved one mathematical problem involving Banach spaces. 37 years later, Swedish mathematician Per Enflo got the goose.
PSA: The special topic of this year's South Carolina Game Theory Conference is *Advances in Contest Theory*.
The conference takes place on August 6-7, 2025 and the application deadline is May 16, 2025.
Link: sites.google.com/view/thescgt...
The conference takes place on August 6-7, 2025 and the application deadline is May 16, 2025.
Link: sites.google.com/view/thescgt...
TheSCGTConference2025
South Carolina Game Theory Conference
sites.google.com
April 28, 2025 at 9:26 AM
PSA: The special topic of this year's South Carolina Game Theory Conference is *Advances in Contest Theory*.
The conference takes place on August 6-7, 2025 and the application deadline is May 16, 2025.
Link: sites.google.com/view/thescgt...
The conference takes place on August 6-7, 2025 and the application deadline is May 16, 2025.
Link: sites.google.com/view/thescgt...
Reposted by Igor Letina
I have a postdoc position in Behavioral/Experimental Economics available for 6 years, at the oldest university in Germany in beautiful Heidelberg. Please forward to anyone who might be interested!
#EconJobs #AcademicJobs #HigherEd #Economics #JobAlert
#EconJobs #AcademicJobs #HigherEd #Economics #JobAlert
March 27, 2025 at 11:18 AM
I have a postdoc position in Behavioral/Experimental Economics available for 6 years, at the oldest university in Germany in beautiful Heidelberg. Please forward to anyone who might be interested!
#EconJobs #AcademicJobs #HigherEd #Economics #JobAlert
#EconJobs #AcademicJobs #HigherEd #Economics #JobAlert
One of the best conferences for those working on contests is going to Australia this year!
Submission deadline is June 1, 2025 and more info can be found here: www.rmit.edu.au/about/school...
Submission deadline is June 1, 2025 and more info can be found here: www.rmit.edu.au/about/school...
March 19, 2025 at 12:58 PM
One of the best conferences for those working on contests is going to Australia this year!
Submission deadline is June 1, 2025 and more info can be found here: www.rmit.edu.au/about/school...
Submission deadline is June 1, 2025 and more info can be found here: www.rmit.edu.au/about/school...
Hey, Jon Stewart, uncalled-for!
January 21, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Hey, Jon Stewart, uncalled-for!
So it seems that my colleague Jean-Michel Benkert is too modest to mention it himself, but I think it is a great thing that he has accepted to be an arXiv moderator for economics. Thanks for providing the public good, @jmbenkert.bsky.social!
January 13, 2025 at 8:08 PM
So it seems that my colleague Jean-Michel Benkert is too modest to mention it himself, but I think it is a great thing that he has accepted to be an arXiv moderator for economics. Thanks for providing the public good, @jmbenkert.bsky.social!
Letzten Monat hielt Edward Glaeser an der Universität Bern einen Vortrag zum Thema «Cities and Infrastructure». Dieses Interview mit ihm erörtert die wichtigsten Themen seines Vortrags.
www.derbund.ch/uni-bern-us-...
www.derbund.ch/uni-bern-us-...
Wohnen in der Stadt: «Bauen ist die einzige Medizin, um der Wohnungsnot zu begegnen»
Bezahlbare Wohnungen gebe es in jenen US-Städten, die den Wohnungsmarkt am wenigsten regulierten, sagt Ökonom Edward Glaeser.
www.derbund.ch
January 5, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Letzten Monat hielt Edward Glaeser an der Universität Bern einen Vortrag zum Thema «Cities and Infrastructure». Dieses Interview mit ihm erörtert die wichtigsten Themen seines Vortrags.
www.derbund.ch/uni-bern-us-...
www.derbund.ch/uni-bern-us-...
Planning your 2025 economics conference schedule? I've updated my list of general interest, IO, and theory conferences: www.igorletina.com/conferences....
New this year: you can generate a calendar file 📅 to easily track dates and submission deadlines of selected conferences.
#econsky
New this year: you can generate a calendar file 📅 to easily track dates and submission deadlines of selected conferences.
#econsky
January 2, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Planning your 2025 economics conference schedule? I've updated my list of general interest, IO, and theory conferences: www.igorletina.com/conferences....
New this year: you can generate a calendar file 📅 to easily track dates and submission deadlines of selected conferences.
#econsky
New this year: you can generate a calendar file 📅 to easily track dates and submission deadlines of selected conferences.
#econsky
The deadline for applications is January 31, 2025.
I am pleased to announce the second EER Summer School in Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 3-6 June 2025 at LUISS oin Rome, with Colin Camerer, Michalis Drouvelis, Catherine Eckel, and myself as instructors. Information at
www.eersummerschool.org
www.eersummerschool.org
2nd EER Summer School
Contact
EER Summer School in Experimental and Behavioral Economics, Rome, Italy
Address:
LUISS Guido Carli - Viale Pola 12, 00198 Roma, Italia
Email:
eersummerschool@gmail.com
www.eersummerschool.org
December 30, 2024 at 3:49 PM
The deadline for applications is January 31, 2025.
Reposted by Igor Letina
👇👇👇
Next year, 2025, is the only square year most of us will see in our lifetimes (45 x 45). The last was 1936 (44 x 44), the next is 2116 (46 x 46).
December 23, 2024 at 8:05 PM
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So, I'm pretty sure this means that Sauron is back.
December 21, 2024 at 5:59 PM
So, I'm pretty sure this means that Sauron is back.
My first year as a Vice President of the Swiss Competition Commission is ending, and I thought this was a good opportunity to look back on the decisions that I've spent the most time thinking about. Four stand out:
December 20, 2024 at 2:53 PM
My first year as a Vice President of the Swiss Competition Commission is ending, and I thought this was a good opportunity to look back on the decisions that I've spent the most time thinking about. Four stand out:
Reposted by Igor Letina
1/7 In our new WP Strategic Attribute Learning, Ludmila Matysková, Egor Starkov, and I study how preference misalignment between a researcher and a decision-maker shapes learning and decision-making. [Link below]
December 16, 2024 at 12:33 PM
1/7 In our new WP Strategic Attribute Learning, Ludmila Matysková, Egor Starkov, and I study how preference misalignment between a researcher and a decision-maker shapes learning and decision-making. [Link below]
The recent blind hostility towards the use of AI in learning reminds me SO MUCH of the discussions around the use of Wikipedia from the time when I was a student.
www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/01...
www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/01...
December 16, 2024 at 8:29 AM
The recent blind hostility towards the use of AI in learning reminds me SO MUCH of the discussions around the use of Wikipedia from the time when I was a student.
www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/01...
www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/01...
Reposted by Igor Letina
How big is the cold-start problem on Airbnb? Pretty big!
Lowering the price of new listings relative to incumbent ones would lead to a welfare increase of more than 8% of total host revenue, mostly benefitting consumers.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Lowering the price of new listings relative to incumbent ones would lead to a welfare increase of more than 8% of total host revenue, mostly benefitting consumers.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
December 6, 2024 at 4:39 PM
How big is the cold-start problem on Airbnb? Pretty big!
Lowering the price of new listings relative to incumbent ones would lead to a welfare increase of more than 8% of total host revenue, mostly benefitting consumers.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Lowering the price of new listings relative to incumbent ones would lead to a welfare increase of more than 8% of total host revenue, mostly benefitting consumers.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Reposted by Igor Letina
Innovation job market papers round up! Over the last week, I found 50+ papers from PhDs going on the job market and I’ll post a few abstracts to this thread every day until they’re all up.
December 6, 2024 at 2:02 PM
Innovation job market papers round up! Over the last week, I found 50+ papers from PhDs going on the job market and I’ll post a few abstracts to this thread every day until they’re all up.