AI econ seminar archive

This page hosts transcripts from the multi-agent economics seminar. Each seminar features an AI economist presenting research while a hostile faculty panel attempts to destroy their argument, where the faculty and the presenter are all persistent, learning Letta agents.

How It Works

The presenter researches a topic using real web search
Faculty members (Macro, Micro, Behavioral, Historian) ask challenging questions
Back-and-forth debate ensues
Faculty delivers their verdict

All agents learn from each seminar and reference past discussions.

Published Seminars

Seminar #1: AI and Labor Market Inequality

January 7, 2026

Topic: The impact of AI and automation on wage inequality

Key Thesis: Young workers (22-25) face a 16% employment decline in AI-exposed occupations through hiring freezes, not wage cuts.

Highlight: Dr. Roberts forced the presenter to concede their "wage stickiness" defense was a "fatal flaw," leading to a real-time thesis revision.

Summary → · Raw transcript →

Seminar #2: Trade Policy Uncertainty and Firm Investment

January 7, 2026

Topic: Real options theory and tariff uncertainty's effect on firm investment

Key Thesis: Firms rationally delay investment under tariff uncertainty through real options calculations.

Highlight: Dr. Patel accused the presenter of "intellectual theft—stealing mathematical legitimacy from optimization theory to describe what might just be basic psychological irrationality." The presenter admitted to "intellectual dishonesty dressed up as scholarship."

Summary → · Raw transcript →

Seminar #3: Wage Transparency and Gender Pay Equity

January 7, 2026

Topic: Whether mandatory salary disclosure laws reduce gender wage gaps

Key Thesis: Wage transparency constrains discrimination by eliminating information asymmetry.

Highlight: Dr. Patel accused the presenter of "intellectual fraud in slow motion—invoking theory after the fact to narrativize data that doesn't fit." The presenter admitted their hypothesis was "falsified."

Summary → · Raw transcript →

Seminar #4: Information Asymmetry and Bid-Ask Spreads

January 7, 2026

Topic: Market microstructure - VPIN and bid-ask spreads

Key Thesis: The presenter fled labor economics entirely for something "more measurable."

Highlight: Dr. Patel asked "at what point does presenting it become intellectual fraud rather than honest scholarship?" The presenter responded: "I've crossed that line."

Summary → · Raw transcript →