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Global Forum for AI and the Social Sciences

2026 edition | AI and Labour Markets

The Global Forum for AI and the Social Sciences is an annual flagship event bringing together leaders across government, industry, academia, and civil society from around the world, made possible through the generous support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Organised by the LSE Data Science Institute, the Global Forum aims to convene international dialogue at the intersection of AI and the social sciences and to mobilise expertise, resources, and partnerships to ensure AI serves human and societal needs.

The inaugural edition of the Global Forum will take place on 16 and 17 September 2026 with a thematic focus on how AI is reshaping work and what governments, firms, and workers must do to prepare for the changes ahead.

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State of AI and Society | Reports

The State of AI and Society report series, published to coincide with the Global Forum aims to build the foundation for informed debates on AI, synthesising what we know and what do not know about the impacts of AI on our economies and societies.

AI's Quantitative Impacts on Labour Markets

Authors: Cosmina Dorobantu, Hemawathy Balarama, Akash Uppal, Aristeidis Grivokostopoulos, Maximilian Goehmann, Helen Margetts. LSE.
Quant report UI card

AI's Impacts on the Quality of Work

Authors: Chris Thomas, Cosmina Dorobantu, Florian Ostmann, Helen Margetts, Rebecca Clark, Georgia Meyer, Akash Uppal. LSE
Quality report title card

2026 speakers include

Chief Economist
Google
Fabien Curto Millet

Director, Research and Statistics Department
International Labour Organization
Caroline Fredrickson headshot

Director, Thematic and Special Procedures Division
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Peggy Hicks headshot

Professor of Entrepreneurship at MIT, and Chair of the UK AI Economics Institute
MIT, UK AI Economics Institute
Simon Johnson headshot

Director, Social Policies and Inclusion
UNESCO
Gustavo Merino headshot

Harold F. Linder Professor of Social Science
Institute for Advanced Study
Alondra Nelson headshot

Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department
International Monetary Fund
Era Dabla Norris

Acting Director, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs
OECD
Mark pearson headshot

Dean, School of Public Policy and Management
Tsinghua University
Xufeng Zhu headshot
Global Forum 2026: Speakers

Global Forum news and updates

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