Ian Macinnes

Ian MacInnes is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha's College of Business Administration. Previously, he served at Syracuse University's School of Information Studies for over two decades, including roles as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, overseeing curriculum development, faculty mentoring, and strategic initiatives. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Public Policy from the University of Southern California and a master's from the London School of Economics. His research focuses on public policy and economics related to information and communication technologies (ICT), including digital platforms, AI's societal impact, privacy, and labor market transformations. He has also held fellowships at Harvard’s Kennedy School and the International Telecommunications Union.

Education:

• Ph.D., Political Economy and Public Policy, University of Southern California
• Master's Degree, London School of Economics

Research Interests: MacInnes explores the intersection of technology, policy, and society, with emphases on:

• AI's impact on employment and income inequality
• Regulatory challenges for digital platforms
• Policy implications of emerging technologies like virtual worlds and online economies
• Trust and fraud in electronic markets
• Business model dynamics in digital industries

Key Contributions: His work on AI's economic consequences, digital policy frameworks, and historical technology-labor interactions has shaped academic and policy discourse. Notable publications include analyses of universal basic income's societal effects and frameworks for assessing techno-unemployment.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on policy simulations in virtual environments and digital transformation initiatives.