Zanele Munyikwa
PhD Candidate in Information Technologies, MIT
Talk Title: Shaping Tomorrow with Data-Driven Insights: Navigating the Future of Work in the Digital Era
Abstract: In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, we stand at a critical juncture—an era defined by rapid technological change, where the impact of these innovations is not predetermined but is profoundly shaped by the decisions we make at both organizational and governmental levels. This juncture offers us both the promise of innovation and heightened productivity, as well as the concerns of diminishing job satisfaction and growing inequality.
Amidst this dynamic backdrop, data-driven insights emerge as indispensable tools for navigating this transformative period and crafting a more equitable and sustainable future of work. Through a compelling case study on the emergence and adoption of generative AI, Zanele will discuss how harnessing the power of data, drawn from administrative records, alternative data sources, surveys, and experiments, can reveal the current state of work and serve as a compass for fostering a more productive workforce that embodies principles of fairness and inclusivity in the digital era.
Join us as we delve into the dynamic interplay between data-driven insights and the future of work in the digital economy, guiding us towards a more equitable and promising digital future.
Bio: Zanele Munyikwa is currently a PhD candidate in Information Technologies at MIT Sloan School of Management, supported by the MIT Sloan Doctoral Fellowship and Accenture Convergence Fellowship. She serves as a graduate research affiliate at both the Stanford Digital Economy Lab and MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy. Her research, situated at the intersection of economics, computer science, and management science, focuses on the economic impact of AI on labor markets. Zanele employs advanced methodologies, including data science techniques such as online experiments and machine learning, for causal inference in observational data. Prior to her doctoral studies, Zanele worked as a Research Fellow at Stanford Graduate School of Business. She holds a BS in Computer Science with honors from Duke University and a Master of Science in Management Research.
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