Peterson Institute Update

Labor markets and structural transformation in times of change: AI and demographic shifts

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 09:00:00 -0500

The Peterson Institute for International Economics has organized, jointly with theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the World Bank, a two-day conference to bring together leading economists, policymakers, international institutions, and practitioners to examine how artificial intelligence (AI), demographic change, and shifting patterns of international specialization are reshaping labor markets and the future of work.
In research presentations and high-level discussions, speakers explore how AI is transforming jobs,…

Inu Manak on the future of North American economic integration

Anjali V. Bhatt, Inu Manak — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 17:30:00 -0400

PIIE Insider LIVE gets even livelier! Host Anjali V. Bhatt is out of the studio and on PIIE's stage with PIIE's newest senior fellow and international trade expert Inu Manak for a special podcast episode with a live audience, hosted in partnership with Young Professionals in Foreign Policy.
This wide-ranging conversation discusses the fate of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and North American economic integration, the role of the US Congress in trade policy, and the future of the multilateral trading system, drawing on Manak's recent appearances at the World Trade…

Geneva Report launch: Changing Structure and Challenges of the International Financial System

Valentina Bruno, Steven B. Kamin, Cédric Tille, Ángel Ubide, Caroline Atkinson — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

The global financial system is undergoing significant structural change, raising new questions about global imbalances, the future role of the dollar, and the stability of international financial markets. Join us at the Peterson Institute for International Economics as leading economists discuss findings from the 29th Geneva Report, "The Changing Structure and Challenges of the International Financial System," examining China's growing external surplus and US fiscal deficits, the dollar's continued dominance amid shifting geopolitical and economic conditions, and the evolving architecture of…

Book discussion: Messy Jobs: The Work that AI Cannot Reach

Adam S. Posen, Luis Garicano, Anna Stansbury — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 13:00:00 -0400

As artificial intelligence (AI) transforms the workplace, which jobs will remain valuable—and what makes them resistant to automation?
Economist Luis Garicano, coauthor of Messy Jobs: The Work that AI Cannot Reach, discusses the future of work and the distinctive skills, forms of judgment, coordination, and human capabilities that continue to matter in an increasingly AI-driven economy.
Garicano presents key insights from the book, followed by a conversation moderated by PIIE president Adam S. Posen and a discussion with PIIE nonresident senior fellow Anna Stansbury. They explore how AI is…

Grappling with US fiscal deficits and debt: Understanding the implications at home and abroad

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joins PIIE nonresident senior fellow Kimberly Clausing for a fireside conversation examining the United States' debt and deficit situation, the key policy challenges ahead, and the implications of persistent fiscal imbalances for the US economy.
A panel discussion moderated by PIIE C. Fred Bergsten Senior Fellow Maurice Obstfeld, featuring Aviva Aron-Dine, Jason Furman, and Oya Celasun, follows. Aron-Dine is director of the Hamilton Project and former acting assistant secretary for tax policy at the US Treasury, Furman is nonresident senior fellow at PIIE and…

The Trump-Xi summit and possible future of US-China economic relations

Chad P. Bown, Marcus Noland, Adam S. Posen, Yeling Tan — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

As Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping prepare for their September 24 summit, what can new economic analyses tell us about the direction of US-China economic relations, as well as the likely impact of the leaders' meeting?
Chad P. Bown, Yeling Tan, and Adam S. Posen offer insights from their latest research followed by a discussion of the broader economic and security implications of the Trump-Xi summit. Marcus Noland moderates the discussion.
Tan examines the economic security concerns of both the United States and China, drawing on her recent PIIE working paper, China's economic security…

The state of the transatlantic security partnership

Nicolas Véron, Oana Lungescu — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

The policies and pronouncements of the second Trump administration have, to say the least, created strain in the transatlantic relationship, affecting the United States, its allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the European Union. In parallel to unprecedented trade, investment, and regulatory developments, the security aspects of the relationship have been put into sharp relief by Russia's continued war in Ukraine and increasingly aggressive actions against other European countries.
Is the damage reparable, and if so, under what conditions? How does the current strain…

The state of play for global trade: Spotting trends and challenges

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:45:00 -0400

Trade wonks like to say that trade is like water; it always finds new ways. Is that really true? The last several years have been particularly challenging for global trade, beset by tariffs, wars, subsidies, export restrictions, and new versions of industrial policy. At the same time, new trade agreements have been signed.
Robert Staiger, chief economist at the World Trade Organization (WTO), will present the WTO's 2026 World Trade Report, followed by a discussion with trade practitioners from the United States, China, and the European Union. What are the most important trends and…

Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, former IMF chief economist, joins PIIE as nonresident senior fellow

Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Washington, DC—The Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) is pleased to announce that Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, former economic counsellor and director of the research department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has joined PIIE as a nonresident senior fellow, bringing decades of experience in international macroeconomics, global financial stability, and academic research.
Adam S. Posen, president of the Peterson Institute, said: "Pierre-Olivier's work has shaped how policymakers understand open economy macroeconomics, exchange rates, and the international monetary…

The tectonic plates of trade are moving: A new equilibrium?

Adam S. Posen, Cecilia Malmström, Tatiana Lacerda Prazeres , Vera Songwe — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 11:00:00 -0400

As the global trading system exists in an uncertain equilibrium while resting on a stable core, it is pertinent to imagine a new order without sliding into the deeper economic fragmentation, protectionism, and geopolitical fray. This session, led by PIIE, examines the opportunities that come with this realignment, how the WTO contributes to balanced and sustainable growth, and the pressing need for the global trade architecture to rely on the interdependence it is built for. The question, which the speakers unpack, is no longer about going back to the old but embracing a new equilibrium, what…