The Stat / Econ / Computer Science Interface: AI for the Coming Decades

 Michael Jordan here this week. What a beautiful mind. A WONDERFUL lecture today: "A Collectivist, Economic Perspective on AI". Easy reading yet VERY important, on the triangular Stat / Econ / Computer Science interface. Paper is here.

I particularly appreciated these sentences from the intro:

The current dialogue on artificial intelligence (AI)—in the media, in academia, in industry, in government commissions, in online forums, and around dinner tables—often seems untethered to reality. The discussion tends to focus on whether one should be on the side of hype or hysteria—AI will either solve humanity’s most pressing problems and usher in a new era of plenty or it will destroy or enslave the human species. Whereas previous eras of rapid technological development were accompanied by such dialogue, the current extreme nature of the hype and hysteria seems unprecedented and unproductive.

Please do check it out. 

 

More on RIP ARCUS (Arctic Research Consortium of the United States)

See below for the final word on the ARCUS "Sunset". So sad. It is as I feared earlier -- in the current environment, the NSF is being forced to shrink, and crucial projects are being axed. Please do view the YouTube recording linked below, which makes everything clear. On a (very rare) bright note, however, the Sea Ice Prediction Network somehow survived! See the link under "Continuing Programs" below.

A Final Message from the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) After nearly four decades of service to the Arctic research community, the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) has now reached its sunset. This will be our final message to the community. On behalf of the ARCUS Board of Directors and all ARCUS staff, we want to thank you for the many years of collaboration, support, and partnership that made ARCUS possible. We have enjoyed working with this community immensely and believe that the goal of broadening participation in Arctic-focused research, education, and policy is still an important mission to achieve. If you would like to learn more about what led the ARCUS Board and membership to make the difficult decision to sunset, you can view the recording of the final ARCUS Community Call here: https://youtu.be/jDtmd1b3rFc. Thank you to all community members who took part in this virtual meeting. Although ARCUS has concluded its operations, steps have been taken to preserve our legacy and ensure that resources remain available: Zenodo Repository: An extensive collection of reports, white papers, and other documents developed through ARCUS programs can be found in the ARCUS Zenodo community. Internet Archive: The ARCUS Internet Archive collection includes preserved versions of our websites: arcus.org, polartrec.com, and media.arcus.org. Continuing Programs: Some efforts will live on under new support, including the Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook at the Alaska Ocean Observing System, and the Sea Ice Prediction Network. Connect The Arctic: Connect The Arctic will remain online for the coming year as a platform for information sharing and community connections. We invite all current Connect the Arctic members to continue to use the platform as a hub to connect, share, and discuss all things Arctic research and education related. Please also feel free to invite other members of your communities to participate, with the goal of allowing Connect the Arctic to represent the interests of a broad group of Arctic-focused folks. With support from the AGU Cryosphere section, there may also be a final community-organized convening at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting this December in New Orleans for those who wish to come together one last time. Any future updates about these plans will be posted to Connect The Arctic.   It has been an honor to work alongside you to connect and support the Arctic research community. While ARCUS is closing its doors, the spirit of collaboration, connection, and shared commitment to Arctic science continues through all of you. With deepest gratitude and best wishes, The ARCUS Staff Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) Audrey R. Taylor, Executive Director Brit Myers, Strategic Engagement Director Lynn Murphy, Director of Finance & HR View email in browser

Special Climate issue of The Econometrics Journal

Call for papers: Special Issue on Econometric Modelling of Climate
Change and the Green Transition             

The Econometrics Journal and EMCC invite submissions to a special issue on Econometric Modelling of Climate Change and the Green Transition.

We welcome econometric and statistical work on all facets of climate change: econometric and statistical modelling of physical processes, energy transition, emissions and pollution, biodiversity loss, economic damages, migration, climate policy evaluation, and climate finance.

Contributions should feature a strong econometric or statistical central component using methods such as, but not limited to, time-varying parameters and structural change, state space models, (dynamic) panel data models, cointegration, and structural models. We welcome work on both observational data and climate model output.

Raffaella Giacomini will edit the special issue in collaboration with guest editors
Francis X. Diebold (UPenn), Eric Hillebrand (Aarhus), Morten Nielsen (Aarhus), and Felix Pretis (UVic).

The deadline for submissions to this special issue is 28 February 2026. Submissions should comply with the journal’s submission guidelines. Authors should select “Special Issue Article: CLIMATE” as the “category of submission” in Step 2 of the submission procedure.

RIP ARCUS

This ARCUS update just arrived. ARCUS had a great run and definitely helped push forward my research program. (See, e.g., my previous post.) Maybe ARCUS' demise was a planned sunsetting, or maybe not. The update is silent on the that. In the current environment, one has to wonder what went on behind the scenes. In any event: RIP ARCUS.

Dear ARCUS Community,

It is with a mix of gratitude and sadness for our community that we share an important update about ARCUS’s future. After more than three decades of connecting, supporting, and facilitating collaboration within the U.S. Arctic research community, ARCUS will sunset its operations at the end of September 2025 and formally dissolve as a nonprofit organization.

This decision comes after careful consideration and reflection on the changing needs of the Arctic research landscape. While ARCUS as an institution will close, the impact of the relationships, collaborations, and shared work we have fostered will continue to ripple through the community for years to come. We are profoundly grateful for the many individuals—past and present—who have served on our Board, worked on our staff, contributed as partners, and supported ARCUS’s mission with passion and dedication.

We want to assure you that we remain active and committed right up to the end. In the weeks ahead, we’ll continue to shine a light on our member institutions and the vital research they do, including:

Wednesday, 10 September – A joint webinar with the Cold Climate Housing Research Center (CCHRC; an ARCUS member) jumpstarting a project to outline the state of the science around socioeconomic aspects of cold climate housing research and innovation

Thursday, 18 September – A listening session with the IARPC Secretariat and Navigating the New Arctic Community Office (NNA-CO) to encourage community input into the next IARPC Arctic Research Plan

Finally, we warmly invite all who have been part of ARCUS’s journey to join us for a virtual celebration—Friday, 19 September at 10am AK / 11am PT / 12pm MT / 1pm CT / 2pm ET—as we honor this extraordinary community and close this chapter together. Please consider taking a moment to connect one last time under the ARCUS umbrella and help ensure the U.S. Arctic research community continues to thrive even in this time of great change.

With heartfelt thanks,

Dr. Audrey R. Taylor

ARCUS Executive Director