Fed Taps A16z’s Marc Andreessen to Study AI’s Impact on Jobs and Productivity

The Federal Reserve has appointed Andreessen Horowitz co-founder Marc Andreessen to help lead a new task force examining how artificial intelligence could reshape employment and productivity across the economy. He’ll share leadership duties with Stanford economist Charles I. Jones, currently on leave at Anthropic, and Microsoft executive Asha Sharma, who also serves as Xbox CEO.

The group is one of five task forces launched under new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, covering areas ranging from policy communication to inflation frameworks. Warsh, who has known Andreessen since their college days at Stanford, announced the overhaul during a June 17 press conference, calling the chosen subjects “timely, consequential” and deserving of fresh scrutiny.

Policymakers Split on AI’s Economic Effects

Fed officials remain divided on whether AI will ease or worsen inflation. Governor Lisa Cook has pointed to stronger productivity growth alongside potential price pressures, while former Chair Jerome Powell noted that data center spending is already pushing costs higher across multiple sectors.

The task force’s findings could shape how the central bank approaches interest rate decisions as AI adoption accelerates nationwide.