AI Economics Research Podcast

This episode breaks down a recent Federal Reserve research paper exploring who earns economics PhDs in the U.S. and the structural factors shaping access and success in the field. We delve into why U.S.-born students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, face barriers and what pipeline programs and mentorship models can do to expand opportunities in advanced economics research careers. Read the full paper at https://www.chicagofed.org/publications/working-papers/2026/2026-13 and send your thoughts and questions to [email protected]. This episode explains a real academic paper in plain English for a general audience. Source paper: necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Reserve Bank - Federal Reserve https://doi.org/10.21033/wp-2026-13 Keywords: Economics PhD, Higher Education, Career Pathways, Diversity in Economics, Underrepresentation, Mentorship

Dive into a new Bank of England research paper that unpacks how UK homeowners reacted to the September 2022 mini-budget's interest rate shock. This episode explains in plain English why many borrowers opted for shorter, pricier two-year fixed-rate mortgages, prioritizing flexibility and potential equity extraction over longer-term rate insurance. Join us to understand the complex decisions behind mortgage refinancing and the trade-off between rate protection and financial agility. You can find the full paper at https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/working-paper/2026/locking-in-the-rate-or-staying-flexible-mortgage-refinancing-around-an-interest-rate-shock?utm_source=Bank+of+England+updates&utm_campaign=5b5679b3ad-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_08_28_09_07&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-5b5679b3ad-113607754. We'd love to hear your thoughts and questions at [email protected]. This episode explains a real academic paper in plain English for a general audience. Source paper: Locking in the rate or staying - Bank of England Keywords: Mortgages, Interest Rates, Refinancing, UK Economy, Financial Stability, Central Banking

This episode delves into a Bank of England research paper exploring how monetary policy's effects on innovation and productivity can be surprisingly persistent. We break down findings showing that firms without access to cash flow-based borrowing—lending against earnings rather than physical collateral—cut R&D significantly more after interest rate hikes, leading to lasting impacts on economic output. Discover the crucial role of firm financing in the transmission of monetary policy and how expanding access to finance could mitigate these losses. For your thoughts and questions, email us at [email protected], and find the full paper at https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/files/working-paper/2026/innovation-financial-frictions-and-persistent-effects-of-monetary-policy.pdf. This episode explains a real academic paper in plain English for a general audience. Source paper: Innovation, financial frictions, and - Bank of England Keywords: Innovation, Monetary Policy, Financial Frictions, Productivity, R&D, Cash Flow, Borrowing, Economic Growth, Interest Rates, Central Banking, Macroeconomics, Financial Stability, Firms, Business Finance, Persistent Effects

This episode delves into a new Federal Reserve Bank of New York research paper introducing "ordinal complementarity," a robust way to understand how inputs interact in production processes. We'll explain why this definition offers stronger, more reliable policy implications, particularly for social planner problems and the empirical study of cognitive skill formation in children. Read the full paper at https://www.newyorkfed.org/research/staff_reports/sr1199 and share your thoughts at [email protected]. This episode explains a real academic paper in plain English for a general audience. Source paper: Martín Almuzara | Martín García-Vázquez | Joseph Mullins Ordinal Complementarity - Federal Reserve Bank of New York Staff Reports https://doi.org/10.59576/sr.1199 Keywords: ordinal complementarity, skill formation, economic policy, production functions, supermodularity, human capital

This episode unpacks a recent Bank of England research paper, "Productivity and Inflation Dynamics," explaining in plain English why higher productivity doesn't always guarantee lower inflation. We delve into how the timing of demand and supply responses, alongside central bank policy, determines whether productivity growth fuels or dampens price pressures. Send your feedback or questions to [email protected], and find the full paper at https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/files/working-paper/2026/productivity-and-inflation-dynamics.pdf. This episode explains a real academic paper in plain English for a general audience. Source paper: Productivity and inflation dynamics Ludovica Ambrosino, Jenny Chan and Silvana Tenreyro - Bank of England Keywords: inflation, productivity, monetary policy, central banking, interest rates, macroeconomics