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The New Future of Work

The New Future of Work is an initiative dedicated to creating solutions for a future of work that is meaningful, productive, and equitable. It began during the pandemic in response to an urgent need to understand remote work practices. When many people returned to the office, the focus shifted to supporting the hybrid work transition. Work practices are changing once again but this time the driver is technology. As such, the New Future of Work Initiative has entered a new chapter – artificial intelligence.

AI models, and specifically foundation models, have reached a watershed in power and maturity. The pandemic significantly accelerated the digital transformation and the pace at which work-related data is generated. Combined with the significant advances in AI and AI machinery, technology has an unprecedented opportunity to transform the way people work. Given the enormous potential of new AI systems, commonly referred to as generative AI, we must work together to ensure the technology is deployed in a privacy-preserving, responsible, and equitable way.

This site features research from the initiative that has been published in peer-reviewed scientific venues, as well as resources to help you navigate a rapidly changing work environment and thrive in the age of AI. We recently published our 2023 Report (opens in new tab) that summarizes some of the exciting work in this space.

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Award Program

In Spring 2023, we funded academic projects on the use of LLMs in productivity scenarios, with a focus on truly creative research that redefines what work might mean in various contexts.

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WorkLab

WorkLab is a Microsoft site that builds on the research here to deliver stories and science-based insights on how to connect more, create more, and unlock ingenuity. It includes pieces on performance in the age of AI and how generative AI will transfrom work.