NCKU Kicks Off "NCKU Meets Nobel" Series with Nobel Laureate Sir Christopher Pissarides on AI and the Future of Work and Wellbeing

▲ Special Lecture by Nobel Laureate Professor Sir Christopher A. Pissarides.

NCKU launched the first lecture of its "NCKU Meets Nobel | AI × Sustainability: Insights for the Future" series on December 9th. The event featured a special keynote speech by the 2010 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, Prof. Sir Christopher A. Pissarides. Professor Pissarides, in his talk titled "AI and the Future of Work and Well-being," highlighted the widespread anxiety among the public regarding the potential for artificial intelligence to cause large-scale unemployment. He further shared his profound insights on how global labour market must adapt to the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In discussing the relationship between AI and the job market, Professor Pissarides explained that the most crucial challenge in the current wave of AI-driven industry transformation is ensuring that workers can smoothly adapt and transition from old job types to new positions. He emphasized that the pace of labor market adjustment is being constrained by certain "frictions," specifically highlighting information frictions and skills mismatches as the primary barriers to successful adaptation and rapid transitions in response to new shocks. To overcome these difficulties and build a resilient and competitive society capable of meeting the demands of the future of work, Professor Pissarides concluded that it has become essential in the modern workplace to equip employees with fundamental STEM knowledge and on-the-job training, encourage time for self-directed learning, and implement incentive mechanisms for employees.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Shyy-Woei Chang, Executive Vice President of NCKU, stated that the lecture deeply resonates with NCKU’s educational and professional mission. He noted that the utilization of AI technology is not just about pursuing economic efficiency, but also about promoting long-term human wellbeing.

Professor Pissarides is a leading authority on the theory of Market Frictions. He was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, jointly with Dr. Dale Mortensen and Dr. Peter A. Diamond, for their development of a theory that analyzes how government policies affect unemployment, job vacancies, and wages. His influential book, Equilibrium Unemployment Theory, is a foundational reference in the field of unemployment economics. Professor Pissarides has also served as an advisor to institutions such as the World Bank, the European Commission, the Bank of England, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on employment policy and other macroeconomic issues.

The "NCKU Meets Nobel" series is organized by the Office of International Affairs at NCKU  in partnership with the International Peace Foundation (IPF), as part of the TAIWAN BRIDGES program. Taiwan will host a series of visits and keynote lectures by multiple Nobel laureates, aiming to inspire innovation in academic research and broaden global perspectives through in-depth dialogue with leading scholars.