Why Big Tech wants more economists

AI labs' in-house economists are shaping public understanding of AI's economic impact while holding a near-monopoly on the underlying data.

• Demand spikes for economists: Ramp's Ara Kharazian rates AI-company demand for economists "a 10," the highest he's ever seen, driven by lack of productivity-statistics visibility into AI's effects.
• Ramp's headcount finding: A June paper combining Ramp spend data with Revelio Labs workforce data found firms using AI intensely saw a 10% increase in headcount over two years, versus no significant change for low-intensity users; growth differences predate adoption too.

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