Nobel Laureate Simon Johnson Visits the University of Gothenburg
When Simon Johnson, one of this year's Nobel laureates in economics, is asked which emojis he uses the most, he laughs heartily. Perhaps the question is unusual and unexpected among all the interviews he's given since receiving the news of the Nobel Prize.
"It’s a lot of thumbs up, but also smileys," he says to the students.
Simon Johnson arrives in Gothenburg for a seminar at the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg just days after the award ceremony and Nobel banquet. The weather in Gothenburg - cloudy and rainy - makes him feel right at home. Simon Johnson was born in Sheffield, England, and began his academic career in Oxford and Manchester before moving to the United States to earn his PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he is now a professor.
Simon Johnson received this year’s Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, together with his research colleagues Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson. They were awarded the prize for their insights into the wealth of nations, identifying a key explanation in the differences in countries' institutions, such as democracy and property rights - differences that can be traced back to the colonial era. Their economic research has a distinctly historical perspective.
In Trolle Hall, a bright meeting room in the School of Business, Economics and Law with a view of Gothenburg, Simon Johnson meets representatives from the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers for an interview. The Nobel laureate enters with vibrant energy, talking about the historical interest that has been crucial for his academic career.
"I’ve always been interested in history, but my parents told me I couldn’t make a living from it and wanted me to have a more stable job. So I thought economics was better. I’ve also always liked math, so it seemed natural to combine these two subjects," says Johnson.
An interest that would lead to the greatest recognition one can receive in science – but also to many new encounters. During the Nobel dinner, Johnson took the opportunity to discuss technological development with Ebba Busch Thor, Minister for Energy, Business and Industry of Sweden.
"I had the chance during these three and a half hours to talk about nuclear power and economic policies with her, but in a way that made everyone feel comfortable," he says, laughing.
Johnson’s family was also invited to the dinner, describing it as "something out of Disney," which he agrees with. He also points out the strict time pressure – as soon as the king finishes his dinner, the tables start being cleared.
Back to the day in Gothenburg. As the sky clears during the interview, lunch with members of the faculty, including Måns Söderbom, Dean of the School of Business, Economics and Law, and Ola Olsson, professor of economics and also Simon Johnson’s host during the visit, is being set up. It is also Måns Söderbom who introduces the Nobel laureate at the open seminar on Saturday afternoon at the School of Business, Economics and Law.
The seminar is not about the award-winning research that Simon Johnson received the Nobel Prize for, but about his latest research on AI and technology. In it, Johnson explores how technological changes can affect economic development.
Although AI can have a deeply transformative effect on the economy, the outcome is far from certain. It is how society chooses to manage and regulate technology that will determine whether AI creates immense prosperity or deepens the inequalities that already exist, he argues.
"Tech optimists see AI as deeply transformative, something that will expand human abilities so much that very few will need to work. There will be enormous prosperity, an abundance of resources, and we can all do something more enjoyable with our lives. Tech pessimists, on the other hand, see how AI will destroy many fully functional jobs and ruin people’s lives. Social media might become even more devastating than it has already been," says Simon Johnson from the stage in Malmsten Hall, where his presentation is projected on a large screen behind him.
AI Research Has Different Time Frames
A presentation that could quickly change – faster than any of his previous research presentations. Johnson’s Nobel Prize-winning research was written nearly 25 years ago, but the same time frame will not work for AI research.
"One of the problems with writing a book on a subject as fascinating as this is the delay in modern publishing. Between the last word you write in the book and its publication, it takes nine months. Nine months is an eternity in AI."
Text: Jessica Oscarsson
The lecture " Technology and Global Inequality in the Age of AI" was not recorded, but you can watch Simon Johnson's Nobel lecture on December 8th here