Faculty
Eric So is the Sloan Distinguished Professor of Global Economics and Behavioral Science and Professor, Global Economics and Management at MIT Sloan, where he studies how human nature and technology interact with incentives to shape decision making and market outcomes. A tenured full professor, he is a member of both the Global Economics and Management group and the Behavioral and Policy Sciences area at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
So leads several AI-focused initiatives at MIT, serving as Faculty CoDirector for the AI Executive Academy and Lead Faculty for the MIT Sloan Generative AI Hub for Teaching and Learning. His current research portfolio spans interconnected topics including artificial intelligence (AI), behavioral economics, human-computer interactions, and regulatory policy. Across these roles and domains, his work seeks to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world application, combining rigorous scientific analysis with practical observations from the field.
So joined MIT in 2012 after earning his PhD from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business and master's degree in economics from Cornell University. His earlier work on information processing and market efficiency is documented in his book Alphanomics: The Informational Underpinnings of Market Efficiency. An award-winning educator recognized for excellence in teaching and leadership, he currently teaches courses on AI applications in business and investment decisions and serves as Faculty Chair of MIT Sloan's PhD program.
Featured Publication
"Box Jumping: Portfolio Recompositions to Achieve Higher Morningstar Ratings."Cohen, Lauren, David S. Kim, and Eric C. So, Working Paper. November 2024.
Bonsall, Samuel B., Jacquelyn Gillette, Gabriel Pundrich, and Eric C. So. Journal of Accounting and Economics. Forthcoming. SSRN.
Harris, Ben, Neil R. Mehrotra, and Eric C. So, Working Paper. October 2024. Brookings Center on Regulation and Markets Working Paper.
Charles Downing, Bradford (Lynch) Levy, Matthew A. Phillips, Eric C. So, MIT Sloan Working Paper 7070-24. Cambridge, MA: MIT Sloan School of Management, July 2024.
Guest, Nicholas, M., S.P. Kothari, and Eric C. So. Management Science Vol. 69, No. 8 (2023): 4908-4931. SSRN Preprint.
de Silva, Tim, Kevin Smith, and Eric C. So, MIT Sloan Working Paper 6944-22. Cambridge, MA: MIT Sloan School of Management, June 2023.
To truly reap the benefits of artificial intelligence, executives need an understanding of how AI systems operate and what they do well.
MIT Sloan students have the opportunity to study generative AI management, analytics for digital platforms, and global energy economies in 2024 – 2025.
With new reports suggesting that the U.S. economy will probably slow this year, economists and AI experts say more businesses may speed up AI use to cut costs, generate revenue and boost worker productivity. That could lead to more-rapid adoption but also downsides, including job losses and consumer harms. "Economic downturns spur you to do more," said professor Eric So. "There's a lot of focus on what we can do and not enough questions like 'Should we do that?' and 'Is it being done in a safe way?'"
"Once you get a sense of agentic AI's capabilities and where they're heading, this is truly a profound societal change."
"It's quite difficult to design assignments that can be done without AI. I suspect much of our curriculum will be redesigned from the ground up."
"There is no substitute for hands-on experience," said professor Eric So.
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.
