A New U.S. Productivity Chapter? What Industry Data Say About AI

Authors

Nida Çakır Melek, Sydney Miller

Posted to EERN: May 19, 2026

FEDERAL RESERVE RESEARCH: Kansas City

Since late 2022, U.S. labor productivity has risen notably above its pre-pandemic trend. Industry data suggest the pickup is not yet broad-based: A small set of industries accounts for most gains. While higher AI adoption is associated with faster productivity growth across industries, it explains little of the shift in aggregate contributions, suggesting AI adoption is still spreading.

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