
Faculty
John J. Horton
Support Staff
Get in Touch
Title
About
Academic Groups
Academic Area
John Horton is the Chrysler Associate Professor of Management and an Associate Professor of Information Technologies at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Horton's research focuses on the intersection of labor economics, market design, and information systems. He is particularly interested in improving the efficiency and equity of matching markets.
After completing his PhD and prior to joining NYU Stern School of Business in 2013, he served for two years as the staff economist for oDesk, an online labor market.
Horton received a BS in mathematics from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a PhD in public policy from Harvard University.
Honors
Publications
Wiles, Emma, Zanele Munyikwa, and John J. Horton. Management Science. Forthcoming. NBER Preprint. Supplementary Materials.
Caoui, El Hadi, Chiara Farronato, John J. Horton, and Robert Schultz. Management Science. Forthcoming. NBER Preprint.
Fradkin, Andrey, Monica Bhole, and John J. Horton. Management Science. Forthcoming. Postprint.
Manning, Benjamin S., Kehang Zhu, and John J. Horton, Working Paper. April 2024. arXiv Preprint.
Brynjolfsson, Erik, John J. Horton, Christos Makridis, Alexandre Mas,Adam Ozimek, Daniel Rock, and Hong-Yi TuYe, MIT Sloan Working Paper 6937-23. Cambridge, MA: MIT Sloan School of Management, May 2023. NBER Working Paper 31193.
Horton, John J., Working Paper. January 2023. arXiv Preprint.
Recent Insights

Space, robots, and a new AI frontier
Accenture is a global leader in professional services, with over 700,000 employees and clients across 120 countries. Renowned for its work in strategy, technology, and digital transformation, the firm has recently expanded into the robotics and space technology sectors. As they explore how to use AI to accelerate new products and businesses in these areas, they’re continuing to work with MIT—this past spring, with two teams of students in MIT’s first ever Generative AI (GenAI) Lab course.

Generative AI to advance human rights
The International Center for Advocates Against Discrimination (ICAAD) is a human rights advocacy organization that equips those most harmed by systemic inequity with the necessary tools to drive systemic change. ICAAD empowers marginalized communities by building their capacity, strengthening their resilience, and fostering innovation. Working with MIT Sloan’s first cohort of Generative AI Lab (GenAI-Lab) students, ICAAD is accelerating its groundbreaking work, helping communities and governments improve the lives of those who need it most.
Media Highlights
Looking for a job? The benefits and (many) problems of creating your resume with AI
According to a working paper by associate professor John J. Horton, IDE digital fellow Emma Wiles, and co-author, applicants who used AI tools to improve their resume writing were 8% more likely to be hired and also received 8.4% higher salaries than those who didn't use automated help. "Using algorithmic assistance can help applicants express their skills more effectively and reduce bias or premature judgments based on writing errors," the authors noted.
AI speeds up job posting but makes it less effective, study reveals
A recent paper by associate professor John Horton and Emma Wiles (PhD '24) found that AI-generated postings tended to be imprecise. Instead of detailing, for example, that they were looking for a programmer with four or more years of experience and knowledge of Python and Julia, the AI often suggested something more vague, such as an ad for "a proactive professional with experience in software engineering."
AI at work: Navigating the next evolution of the labor market
Associate professor John Horton joined this panel of the Bipartisan Policy Center and Anthropic to explore what the public and policy makers should consider as AI becomes more ubiquitous in society.
AI can now create a replica of your personality
"This paper is showing how you can use real humans to generate personas which can then be used programmatically/in-simulation."
Executive Education
AI Executive Academy
An exciting collaboration between MIT's Sloan School of Management and Schwarzman College of Computing, this immersive, two-week program on campus dives deep into both the technical and business aspects of artificial intelligence, providing a comprehensive understanding of AI's impact across industries. The program will bridge the gap between AI technology and business leadership through practical, hands-on learning experiences, ensuring participants can apply AI strategies effectively in their organizations.
- Oct 28-Nov 8, 2024
- Apr 7-18, 2025
- Sep 8-19, 2025
- Mar 23-Apr 3, 2026
- Sep 21-Oct 2, 2026
Artificial Intelligence
This online program from the MIT Sloan School of Management and the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) challenges common misconceptions surrounding AI and will equip and encourage you to embrace AI as part of a transformative toolkit. With a focus on the organizational and managerial implications of these technologies, rather than on their technical aspects, you’ll leave this course armed with the knowledge and confidence you need to pioneer its successful integration in business.
- Oct 1-Nov 12, 2025
- Aug 13-Sep 24, 2025
- Aug 20-Oct 1, 2025
- Nov 19, 2025-Jan 28, 2026
- Aug 26-Oct 13, 2026
- May 27-Jul 14, 2026
- Oct 7-Nov 24, 2026
- Mar 4-Apr 21, 2026
- Jul 8-Aug 25, 2026
- Apr 15-Jun 2, 2026
- Jan 28-Mar 17, 2026
- Nov 18, 2026-Feb 2, 2027