Book discussion: Messy Jobs: The Work that AI Cannot Reach

Date
September 25, 2026, 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM EDT
PIIE Webcast, Washington DC

Luis Garicano (London School of Economics and Political Science), Adam S. Posen (PIIE) and Anna Stansbury (PIIE)

Event Summary

As artificial intelligence (AI) transforms the workplace, which jobs will remain valuable—and what makes them resistant to automation?

Economist Luis Garicano, coauthor of Messy Jobs: The Work that AI Cannot Reach, discusses the future of work and the distinctive skills, forms of judgment, coordination, and human capabilities that continue to matter in an increasingly AI-driven economy.

Garicano presents key insights from the book, followed by a conversation moderated by PIIE president Adam S. Posen and a discussion with PIIE nonresident senior fellow Anna Stansbury. They explore how AI is reshaping labor markets, why some jobs are more resistant to automation than others, and what these changes mean for workers, firms, and policymakers.

MODERATOR

Adam S. Posen 
President, PIIE

SPEAKERS

Luis Garicano
Professor of Public Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science; Former Member, European Parliament

Anna Stansbury
Nonresident Senior Fellow, PIIE

Video