Microsoft’s AI Economics Institute (AIEI) has launched its third global call for proposals, inviting researchers to explore how organizations can implement it. A.I. We are transforming jobs, skills and productivity at scale.
Lucas A. Meyer, principal AI architect at Microsoft, shared the announcement on LinkedIn, writing: “Yesterday, we announced our third call for proposals from the Microsoft AI Economics Institute (AIEI), our next Senior Fellow.”
This year’s focus is “Frontier Companies and Transforming Work in the AI Economy,” which covers research on companies at the cutting edge of AI adoption and the early signals their organizational changes may send to policymakers, educators, employers, and workers.
Entries open on February 17th and close on March 11th at 5pm PT.
Research companies on the AI frontier
Founded in 2025, the AI Economy Institute supports independent, policy-relevant research on how artificial intelligence is reshaping productivity, labor markets, education systems, and economic opportunity. According to Microsoft, all supported research has been conducted independently and the findings do not represent the views of the company.
The third cohort will focus on “frontier companies,” organizations that adopt and deploy AI at scale. These companies are providing early evidence of how AI will impact job design, skill demand, innovation processes, leadership expectations, and regional economic development.
Meyer said this research is important in shaping AI’s social trajectory, writing, “This is important research that will help shape the direction AI is headed in society. This research will help move AI in a direction that benefits more people.”
Priority themes for Cohort 3 include firm-level productivity transformation, occupational restructuring, economic geography and economic diffusion, historical parallels of change in the GPT era, and predicting labor market signals related to AI capabilities.
Structured research program and funding
Selected proposals will receive a US$75,000 research grant and travel support for in-person workshops. Researchers based in the United States, Canada, or Mexico may be eligible for up to USD 7,500 in travel support, and researchers based elsewhere may receive up to USD 20,000.
The Senior Fellows program follows a 12-month, cohort-based model and includes biweekly virtual workshops, multi-day in-person meetings with subject matter experts from Microsoft, contributions to edited trade books on the AI economy, and manuscript submissions to high-quality academic journals.
The timeline includes award notification in April 2026, research period through September 2026, and book publication scheduled for January 2027.
Policy-related AI research
Cohort 3 is open to researchers affiliated with accredited universities or research institutions around the world. The principal investigator must hold a PhD or equivalent terminal degree and have held that degree for at least five years.
Proposals will be evaluated equally on scientific strength, feasibility, practical applicability, and principal investigator productivity. Priority will be given to interdisciplinary research, new methodologies including AI-powered approaches, efficient data collection strategies, comparative regional perspectives, and research that yields actionable insights.
Previous AIEI cohorts have explored the impact of AI on educational pathways, workforce entry, K-12 and higher education adoption, governance approaches, and sustainability challenges.
As generative AI continues to spread into fields such as education and workforce development, the institute’s latest call signals an increased emphasis on understanding how early adopters are reshaping organizational structures and labor markets. For policymakers and educators seeking to integrate AI, the frontier may offer both opportunities and warning signals.
ETIH Innovation Award 2026
The ETIH Innovation Awards 2026 is now open and recognizes education technology organizations that are driving measurable impact across K-12, higher education, and lifelong learning. The award welcomes applications from the UK, the Americas and overseas, and applications will be assessed on the basis of evidence of achievement and practical application.
