Federal Reserve Vice Chair Jefferson Discusses Mixed Productivity Gains from AI Adoption
Federal Reserve Vice Chair Jefferson recently addressed the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the U.S. economy, noting that while AI adoption is rising among firms and workers, its effect on broader productivity remains mixed. Surveys indicate that 40% to 50% of working adults are using AI in their jobs, though only a modest fraction uses it daily. The adoption rate varies significantly across industries, with about 25% of all U.S. firms using AI in at least one business function as of mid-2026. This figure rises to around 40% in knowledge-intensive sectors like professional services and information, but drops to about 10% in mining and leisure and hospitality. Jefferson highlighted that while some studies show positive associations between productivity growth and AI adoption at the firm level, others indicate only modest effects, with one study estimating a mere 0.5% boost in sales per employee over the past three years. This disconnect is attributed to firms still experimenting and learning, ofte...