Danielle Li

Danielle Li is the David Sarnoff Professor of Management of Technology and a Professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management, specializing in the Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management academic group. She is also a Faculty Research Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Her academic journey includes an AB in mathematics and the history of science from Harvard College and a PhD in economics from MIT. Prior to joining MIT, she taught at Harvard Business School and the Kellogg School of Management.

• AB in Mathematics and History of Science, Harvard College
• PhD in Economics, MIT

Professor Li's research focuses on the economics of innovation and labor economics, with particular emphasis on how organizations evaluate ideas, projects, and people. She investigates the intersection of technology and workplace dynamics, especially how AI impacts worker productivity, the nature of work, and career trajectories in AI-intensive environments. Her work examines how businesses implement AI tools and the resulting effects on workforce composition and skill requirements.

Her publication portfolio reveals a consistent focus on innovation economics, labor market dynamics, and the organizational implications of technology. Recent work increasingly centers on AI's workplace impact, with her 2025 Quarterly Journal of Economics paper 'Generative AI at Work' demonstrating how AI assistance increases worker productivity by 15% on average, with differential effects across experience levels. Her research combines rigorous economic analysis with practical business implications, spanning pharmaceutical innovation, hiring practices, promotion decisions, and gender gaps in the workplace.

• Best Paper Prize: 2017 FIRCG Conference
• Best Paper Prize: 2018 CEPR Management, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship Conference
• Best Paper Prize: 2017 Red Rock Conference
• Best Paper Prize: 2018 LBS Summer Finance Symposium
• Best Paper Prize: 2019 American Economic Journal: Applied Economics

Professor Li's research has been supported by significant grants and has influenced both academic discourse and business practice. Her work on AI in the workplace has informed executive education programs at MIT Sloan, including 'Making AI Work: Machine Intelligence for Business and Society' and 'Artificial Intelligence' courses. She actively engages with media and business leaders to translate research findings into practical insights, frequently appearing in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Economist. Her research on gender promotion gaps and hiring practices has particular relevance for organizational human resource policies.

Professor Li is deeply embedded in MIT's AI research ecosystem, collaborating with colleagues across Sloan and CSAIL. She contributes to MIT's AI Expert Spotlight series, focusing on how businesses should implement AI responsibly and effectively. Her work bridges economic theory with practical business applications, particularly in understanding how AI transforms work processes and organizational structures.