Does Remote Work Stifle Innovation? The Jury's Still Out on Knowledge Spillovers
-
Remote work has blurred the idea that chance encounters in cities foster innovation. But do these "knowledge spillovers" still occur if people don't cluster together daily?
-
Economists believe face-to-face interactions are key for generating new ideas, landing better jobs, and benefiting the economy. But remote work seemed to function fine during the pandemic.
-
Hot AI startup activity shows agglomeration still matters. Founders say big complex ideas are hard to convey remotely.
-
More in-person mingling creates more connections between firms and increased patent citations. But how often do workers need to collide?
-
If people stay home more, downtowns lose energy. That affects restaurants, jobs, and civil society too. Cities may need to reinvent themselves.