IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/bea/papers/0134.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Concepts and Challenges of Measuring Production of Artificial Intelligence in the U.S. Economy

Author

Listed:
  • Tina Highfill
  • David Wasshausen
  • Gregory Prunchak

Abstract

Much of the current literature on the economic impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) focuses on the uses of AI, but little is known about the production of AI and its contribution to economic growth. In this paper, we discuss basic concepts and challenges related to measuring the production of AI within a standard national accounting framework. We first present a variety of examples that illustrate how both the production and use of AI software are currently reflected in macroeconomic statistics like Gross Domestic Product and the Supply and Use Tables. We then discuss a broader approach to measurement using a thematic satellite account framework that highlights production of AI across foundational areas, including manufacturing, software publishing, computer and data services, and research & development. The challenges of identifying and quantifying AI production in the national accounts using existing data sources are discussed and some possible solutions for the future are offered.

Suggested Citation

  • Tina Highfill & David Wasshausen & Gregory Prunchak, 2025. "Concepts and Challenges of Measuring Production of Artificial Intelligence in the U.S. Economy," BEA Papers 0134, Bureau of Economic Analysis.
    • Handle: RePEc:bea:papers:0134
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.bea.gov/system/files/papers/BEA-WP2025-1.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Flavio Calvino & Chiara Criscuolo & Hélène Dernis & Lea Samek, 2023. "What technologies are at the core of AI?: An exploration based on patent data," OECD Artificial Intelligence Papers 6, OECD Publishing.
    2. Erik Brynjolfsson & Danielle Li & Lindsey Raymond, 2023. "Generative AI at Work," Papers 2304.11771, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2024.
    3. Daron Acemoglu, 2024. "The Simple Macroeconomics of AI," NBER Working Papers 32487, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Bruce T. Grimm & Brent R. Moulton & David B. Wasshausen, 2005. "Information-Processing Equipment and Software in the National Accounts," NBER Chapters, in: Measuring Capital in the New Economy, pages 363-402, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. James Bono & Alec Xu, 2024. "Randomized Controlled Trials for Security Copilot for IT Administrators," Papers 2411.01067, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2024.
    2. Jorgenson, Dale W. & Nomura, Koji, 2005. "The industry origins of Japanese economic growth," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 482-542, December.
    3. Barth, Erling & Davis, James C. & Freeman, Richard B. & McElheran, Kristina, 2023. "Twisting the demand curve: Digitalization and the older workforce," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 233(2), pages 443-467.
    4. Carvajal, Daniel & Franco, Catalina & Isaksson, Siri, 2024. "Will Artificial Intelligence Get in the Way of Achieving Gender Equality?," Discussion Paper Series in Economics 3/2024, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Economics, revised 20 Mar 2025.
    5. Gaétan de Rassenfosse & Adam B. Jaffe & Joel Waldfogel, 2024. "Intellectual Property and Creative Machines," NBER Chapters, in: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy and the Economy, volume 4, pages 47-79, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. José Ignacio Conde-Ruiz & Juan José Ganuza Fernandez & Manuel García & Carlos Victoria Lanzón, 2024. "AI and Digital Technology: Gender Gaps in Higher Education," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 70(3), pages 244-270.
    7. Alexander Cuntz & Carsten Fink & Hansueli Stamm, 2024. "Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property : An Economic Perspective," WIPO Economic Research Working Papers 77, World Intellectual Property Organization - Economics and Statistics Division.
    8. Ark, Bart van, 2002. "ICT investments and growth accounts for the European Union," GGDC Research Memorandum 200256, Groningen Growth and Development Centre, University of Groningen.
    9. Lilia Patrignani, 2024. "Understanding digital trade," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 841, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    10. Johanna Melka & Nanno Mulder & Laurence Nayman & Soledad Zignago, 2003. "Skills, Technology and Growth is ICT the Key to Success ? An Analysis of ICT Impact on French Growth," Working Papers 2003-04, CEPII research center.
    11. Amali Matharaarachchi & Wishmitha Mendis & Kanishka Randunu & Daswin De Silva & Gihan Gamage & Harsha Moraliyage & Nishan Mills & Andrew Jennings, 2024. "Optimizing Generative AI Chatbots for Net-Zero Emissions Energy Internet-of-Things Infrastructure," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-19, April.
    12. Bohren, Noah & Hakimov, Rustamdjan & Lalive, Rafael, 2024. "Creative and Strategic Capabilities of Generative AI: Evidence from Large-Scale Experiments," IZA Discussion Papers 17302, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. repec:dgr:rugggd:200256 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Leonardo Gambacorta & Han Qiu & Shuo Shan & Daniel M Rees, 2024. "Generative AI and labour productivity: a field experiment on coding," BIS Working Papers 1208, Bank for International Settlements.
    15. Becker, Dominik & Deck, Luca & Feulner, Simon & Gutheil, Niklas & Schüll, Moritz & Decker, Stefan & Eymann, Torsten & Gimpel, Henner & Pippow, Andreas & Röglinger, Maximilian & Urbach, Nils, 2024. "Lohnt sich Microsoft 365 Copilot? Eine Potenzialanalyse für Unternehmen und Bildungseinrichtungen," Bayreuth Reports on Information Systems Management 72, University of Bayreuth, Chair of Information Systems Management.
    16. Pouliakas, Konstantinos & Santangelo, Giulia, 2025. "Are Artificial Intelligence (AI) Skills a Reward or a Gamble? Deconstructing the AI Wage Premium in Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 17607, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    17. Carol Corrado & Charles Hulten & Daniel Sichel, 2009. "Intangible Capital And U.S. Economic Growth," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 55(3), pages 661-685, September.
    18. Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, 2005. "Outsourcing and Offshoring: Pushing the European Model Over the Hill, Rather Than Off the Cliff!," Working Paper Series WP05-1, Peterson Institute for International Economics.
    19. Christian Peukert & Florian Abeillon & Jérémie Haese & Franziska Kaiser & Alexander Staub, 2024. "Strategic Behavior and AI Training Data," CESifo Working Paper Series 11099, CESifo.
    20. Centre for the Study of Living Standards, 2005. "What Explains the Canada-US ICT Investment Intensity Gap?," CSLS Research Reports 2005-06, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    21. Gilbert Cette & Christian Pfister, 2004. "Challenges of the “New Economy” for Monetary Policy," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 8, pages 27-36, Spring.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E01 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Measurement and Data on National Income and Product Accounts and Wealth; Environmental Accounts
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bea:papers:0134. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Andrea Batch (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/beagvus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.