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The price of intelligence: How should socially-minded firms price and deploy AI?

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  • Lehr, Nils H.
  • Restrepo, Pascual

Abstract

Leading AI firms claim to prioritize social welfare. How should firms with a social mandate price and deploy AI? We derive pricing formulas that depart from profit maximization by incorporating incentives to improve welfare and reduce labor disruptions. Using US data, we evaluate several scenarios. A welfarist firm that values both profit and welfare should price closer to marginal cost, as efficiency gains outweigh distributional concerns. A conservative firm focused on labor-market stability should price above the profit-maximizing level in the short run, especially when its AI may displace low-income workers. Overall, socially minded firms face a trade-off between expanding access to AI and the resulting loss in profits and labor market risks.

Suggested Citation

  • Lehr, Nils H. & Restrepo, Pascual, 2026. "The price of intelligence: How should socially-minded firms price and deploy AI?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:moneco:v:157:y:2026:i:c:s0304393225001515
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoneco.2025.103880
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    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J30 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - General

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