Aaron Chatterji At NDTV World Summit: Meet OpenAI's 1st Chief Economist

Aaron "Ronnie" Chatterji, OpenAI's first Chief Economist, is attending the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi. The event, to be held on October 17-18, will bring together prominent figures from politics, science, technology and business for discussions centred on global innovation and collaboration.

OpenAI's First Chief Economist

On October 22, 2024, OpenAI named Aaron Chatterji its first Chief Economist, a role created to deepen the organisation's understanding of artificial intelligence's long-term economic consequences. According to OpenAI, he role includes leading research into how AI influences economic growth, job creation and productivity, while also examining the global impact of building AI infrastructure.

Research Work

Aaron Chatterji is the Mark Burgess & Lisa Benson-Burgess Distinguished Professor of Business and Public Policy at Duke University, US. His research focuses on how new technologies and business practices affect the economy and society.

He is also on leave as a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and has a secondary role at Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy. Earlier, he taught as a visiting Associate Professor at Harvard Business School.

Role In US Economic Policy

Chatterji has held several senior economic policy positions in the US federal government, most notably under former President Joe Biden. As the White House CHIPS Coordinator, he oversaw the implementation of the $52-billion CHIPS and Science Act, a significant industrial policy initiative, aimed at revitalising semiconductor manufacturing and strengthening supply chains.

He also served as the Acting Deputy Director of the White House National Economic Council, where he guided efforts to support manufacturing, build resilient supply chains and promote innovation.

Prior to these roles, Chatterji was the Chief Economist at the US Department of Commerce, advising on competitiveness, trade and growth policies.

Chatterji also served as a Senior Economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers during former President Barack Obama's tenure.

Public Service

Chatterji has been active in public service in his home state of North Carolina. He has served on the North Carolina FIRST Commission and the Governor's Entrepreneurial Council, both advising the Governor on state economic policy. In 2020, he ran for State Treasurer of North Carolina, winning the statewide primary and earning over two million votes in the general election.

Academic Achievements

Chatterji's academic credentials include a PhD in Business and Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley and a BA in Economics from Cornell University. He has published two books and more than 30 peer-reviewed papers in various journals.

NDTV World Summit 2025

The NDTV World Summit 2025 will bring together leading voices from around the world for an in-depth dialogue on the forces redefining the future. The summit will revolve around the theme 'Risk, Resolve and Renewal', highlighting challenges, opportunities and ideas that will shape the decade ahead.