Wharton Prof. Mollick: Disciplines Should List Unsolved Problems for AI Labs to Tackle

emollick · x · 2026-08-03

Wharton professor Ethan Mollick suggests that beyond mathematics, other academic fields should compile lists of their significant, unsolved problems. If AI capabilities mature sufficiently, these questions could potentially be addressed through empirical research.

Using his own field, entrepreneurship, as an example, he points out that core questions like "what actually causes entrepreneurial success" remain unanswered. He urges disciplines to publicly define these challenges, thereby pressuring AI labs to focus their compute and technology on solving problems with real societal value.

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