Anthropic announced on June 27, 2025 the launch of the Economic Futures Program, a new initiative intended to support research and policy development addressing the economic effects of artificial intelligence (AI). The program builds on Anthropic’s existing Anthropic Economic Index and aims to produce longitudinal data, fund empirical work and convene discussions to inform policy responses related to AI and the labor market.
Program focus and pillars
The Economic Futures Program centers on three complementary pillars:
- Research grants: providing awards, API credits, and partnerships to enable researchers to study AI’s effects on labor, productivity, and value creation;
- Evidence-based policy: creating forums where researchers, policymakers, and practitioners can jointly develop and evaluate policy proposals grounded in real-world data;
- Economic measurement and data: scaling the Anthropic Economic Index to generate longitudinal datasets tracking AI usage and economic impact, with periodic public data and research releases.
Anthropic frames these pillars as mutually reinforcing: higher-quality data facilitates stronger research, which in turn can produce better-informed policy recommendations.
Specific measures and timeline
At launch, Anthropic described several concrete activities to support the research community and policymakers:
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Economic Futures Research Awards: rapid grants of up to $50,000 for empirical research on AI’s economic impacts. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and the initial awards will be issued in mid-August 2025.
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Economic Futures Symposia: Anthropic is seeking evidence-based policy proposals that deliver actionable recommendations for responding to AI’s effects on the labor market and economy. Authors of selected proposals will be invited to present at symposia in Washington, DC (September 2025) and London (November 2025). Proposal deadlines are July 25, 2025 for the Washington, DC symposium and September 12, 2025 for the London symposium.
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Strategic partnerships with research institutions: Anthropic plans to collaborate with independent research organizations, offering API credits and other resources to support studies of AI’s economic applications. Interested institutions are asked to email a brief description of their organization and the specific research efforts they propose to economicfutures@anthropic.com.
Why Anthropic says this matters now
The company argues that questions about AI’s economic consequences are urgent and complex, and that policymakers and industry leaders need rigorous, empirical evidence as AI adoption grows across global workplaces. Anthropic points to its Anthropic Economic Index as a first step in publishing data on AI usage across the economy, but emphasizes that data publication must be paired with discussion of potential policy responses.
Anthropic notes there are early signs of AI’s impact on the workforce and says ongoing, real-time research is necessary to identify where AI creates economic opportunity—new jobs, higher productivity, novel forms of value creation—and where it may cause disruptive changes in labor dynamics.
Looking ahead and contact information
Anthropic presents the Economic Futures Program as a commitment to support research and policy communities in preparing for an AI-enabled economy. Those interested in submitting research proposals or learning more are directed to anthropic.com/economic-futures. Questions and partnership inquiries can be sent to economicfutures@anthropic.com. More information about Anthropic’s economic research is available via the Anthropic Economic Index and anthropic.com/research.
