GoKawiilIndependent researcher uses Anthropic's Claude models to build wage-determination economic theory
A researcher describes developing an economic theory over several months with help from Anthropic's Opus and Fable AI models, which surfaced counterarguments and relevant papers during the process. The work has evolved into a formal paper co-authored with a researcher from the Stockholm School of Economics, building on the task-based automation framework of Nobel laureate Daron Acemoglu and Pascual Restrepo. The paper claims to combine classical economic scarcity models with technology-driven wage effects to explain how aggregate wages are set, a question the author says mainstream economics has not fully resolved.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Most wage models in economics rely on estimated or externally supplied parameters rather than a clear theoretical mechanism, so a formal model claiming to 'pin' the wage level using established frameworks would address a genuine gap. It also illustrates how AI tools are increasingly used not just for writing but as active collaborators in academic research, challenging counterarguments and sourcing literature in real time. If validated by peer economists, the approach could reshape how technology's impact on labor markets and pay is modeled.
- The theory merges classical economic scarcity models with Acemoglu and Restrepo's task-based automation framework.
- AI models Opus and Fable were used as research collaborators, offering pushback and literature during development.
- The formal paper is co-authored with a Stockholm School of Economics researcher and aims to explain aggregate wage determination.
Power and Progress by Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson — Since the article builds directly on the task-based framework of Nobel laureate Daron Acemoglu, his book with Simon Johnson is a natural companion read on how technology shapes wages and who captures the gains. It's an accessible way into the same debates about automation, labor and prosperity that the author's theory is trying to formalize.
See Power and Progress by Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: wilsoniumite.com, 2026-09-07
Published there as: “Working on Economics with Fable 5”
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