What if you see it? Workers’ perceptions of and reactions to LLMs | Massimo Anelli (Bocconi University)

07 July 2025 | 12:00 — 13:00

Hybrid/Mixed

FBK-IRVAPP is pleased to invite you to the following seminar: What if you see it? Workers’ perceptions of and reactions to LLMs.

With the participation of Massimo Anelli (Bocconi University)

Abstract

As Large Language Models (LLMs) increasingly demonstrate their capability to perform diverse cognitive tasks, they have sparked both excitement and concern regarding their economic potential and the possibility of substituting white-collar labor. This study investigates two critical questions: How do workers perceive LLMs – as a career opportunity or a threat? And do these perceptions influence their policy preferences? Prior research on workers displaced by routine automation reveals a general lack of awareness about the sources of labor market risks. Responses to job displacement due to automation have varied, ranging from political disengagement to demands for economic redistribution, and even resistance to immigration and trade. However, the extent to which these findings apply to workers potentially impacted by LLMs remains uncertain. This group, often highly educated, might exhibit greater awareness and connect labor market challenges to policy solutions more effectively. Yet, they may also have a strong incentive to safeguard their investment in specialized occupational skills. To explore these possibilities, our study introduces an innovative informational treatment. We inform workers across 176 occupations about the capabilities of LLMs to perform the most frequent tasks in their respective fields. This treatment is embedded into a survey experiment conducted across three countries, enabling us to identify which workers predominantly view LLMs as either an opportunity or a risk. Then, we analyze how these perceptions shape a range of policy preferences. This research offers valuable insights into the evolving relationship between advanced AI technologies and the labor market, highlighting the nuanced perspectives of workers in an era of rapid technological change.

The seminar is held in English.

Speakers

Massimo Anelli - Guest Speaker

Bocconi University

Massimo Anelli's research follows an interdisciplinary, policy-focused agenda that spans education, the impact of technology on society and migration selection. He investigates how human capital is formed, moves across space, and interacts with technology, drawing on concepts and methods from economics, demography and political science. His work contributes to key policy debates by studying how migration selection shapes labor markets and demographic dynamics, how automation and AI transforms employment and political behavior, how education policies influence long-term economic opportunities, and how major shocks like COVID-19 impact social and economic inequalities. A defining feature of his research is the use of original administrative data, often derived from digitized archives, social security records, and government registries. He employs rigorous empirical methods—including Regression Discontinuity Designs, Kink/Notch Designs, Bartik instruments, and network-based identification strategies—to uncover causal relationships that inform evidence-based policymaking across multiple disciplines.

Registration

Registration to this event is mandatory.

Registration closed on 07/07/2025.

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