From PhD to proofreading AI: Economist reveals how his job shifted from research to removing ‘em-dashes’ in AI-generated text

The fast growth of artificial intelligence is transforming how people operate across industries such as coding, design, research, and writing. As AI tools become a regular part of daily workflows, many professionals are noticing that their responsibilities are shifting rather than disappearing, often in unexpected ways.

Economist Highlights Real-World Shift

A US-based economist has sparked fresh discussion around this transformation by sharing his personal experience. Marshall Steinbaum, who earned a PhD in economics from the University of Chicago, revealed that a large part of his work now revolves around editing AI-generated content instead of traditional research tasks.

Sharing his thoughts on X, Steinbaum wrote, “I have a PhD in economics from the University of Chicago and my main work task these days is removing em-dashes from Claude output so it’s not overly obvious.” His comment sheds light on how even highly specialised roles are evolving alongside AI adoption.

Social Media Reacts with Humor and Insight

Steinbaum’s post quickly gained traction online, prompting users to reflect on the changing workplace landscape. One user remarked, “When we thought AI would take our jobs, they failed to account for our invaluable role in em dash removal,” while another added humorously, “The irony of a phd economist becoming a human em-dash detector lmao.”