-
Centres, groups and other initiatives

Centre for Disruptive Technologies

Exploring how emerging technologies transform economies and societies.

CDT concentrates on four key research areas where disruptive technologies intersect with economic outcomes:

Multimodal Economic Modelling and Forecasting

Leveraging state-of-the-art AI models to enhance economic modelling by integrating structured economic indicators with diverse multimodal data, including unstructured textual data from news articles, social media, and policy documents, as well as visual data from satellite imagery and market visualizations. Using advanced natural language processing (NLP) techniques and computer vision methods, we aim to capture complex economic dynamics, sentiment trends, and visual patterns, generating real-time insights into technological impacts on the economy.

Automation

Studying the effects of robotics, AI automation, and autonomous systems on employment, wages, business strategy, and skills. We identify sectors vulnerable to job displacement, explore areas likely to see job creation, analyze automation's influence on productivity, and identify strategies such as workforce reskilling or updated social safety nets to mitigate negative impacts. This research combines empiricalanalysis of labor market data with technological adoption modeling.

Blockchain Technologies in Finance and the Broader Economy

Examining how blockchain-based innovations—such as decentralized finance (DeFi), smart contracts, and digital currencies—are reshaping financial markets, payment systems, and economic interactions. We investigate blockchain's potential for increasing transparency, reducing transaction costs, enhancing financial inclusion, and transforming governance frameworks, while exploring macroeconomic implications for monetary policy and economic stability.

Disruptive Technologies in Policy Making

Investigating how technologies like AI, blockchain, and advanced data analytics influence economic policymaking, governance models, and regulatory frameworks. This includes examining how AI-driven analytics can enhance evidence-based policymaking, policy evaluation, and efficiency in public administration, while exploring regulatory strategies for managing emerging technologies ethically and effectively.