Michael Luca Named Director of Carnegie Mellon University’s Block Center for Technology and Society

Michael Luca, Professor of Economics, Technology, and Policy at Carnegie Mellon University, has been appointed to lead the university-wide Block Center for Technology and Society.

Luca will also serve as the Trustees Professor of Technology and Society. As director, he will lead the center’s efforts to assess how emerging technologies are reshaping society and how decisions being made now by business leaders, policymakers and technologists can shape what happens next.

As advances in AI, robotics and digital technologies reshape how we work, communicate and live, the Block Center brings together researchers across Carnegie Mellon with policymakers, business leaders and the public to connect evidence to real-world decisions.

“Mike is an exceptional scholar and leader who brings a rare combination of rigorous research and a clear understanding of how research can inform the choices leaders are making right now,” said Kirsten Martin(opens in new window), H. John Heinz III Dean of Heinz College.

Luca’s work focuses on the interplay among technology, human behavior and business and policy decisions, examining how those forces shape market and societal outcomes.

“Technological innovation can boost productivity, improve health and address societal challenges,” Luca said. “At the same time, the impact of technology depends on how it is developed, implemented and governed.” Luca emphasizes the need for a proactive approach to assessing technological change and anticipating and mitigating its risks, noting the need to “understand where technology can create value, who benefits and what challenges need to be addressed along the way.”

Founded in 2019 through the generosity of Carnegie Mellon alumnus Keith Block and his wife, Suzanne Kelley, the Block Center was created around a simple premise: technological progress should work for the benefit of society. Its work supports interdisciplinary research and connects academic inquiry to questions facing companies, policymakers, technology users and the public.

“Suzanne and I established the Block Center to help ensure that technology changes the world for the better. This founding premise still guides everything the center does,” said Keith Block, founder and CEO of Smith Point Capital. “We’re proud to see the Block Center enter this next chapter under Mike’s leadership.”

Carnegie Mellon offers a distinctive environment for that work: researchers developing new technologies work alongside scholars studying how those technologies affect people, markets, institutions and culture. The university has a long history of technological innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, computer science, information systems and human-computer interaction, complemented by strengths in economics, psychology, public policy, design and the arts. Heinz College, where Luca will be based, has long operated at that intersection, integrating people, policy and technology.

“The Block Center plays an essential role in ensuring that technological progress is informed by a deep understanding of its implications for people and society,” said Theresa Mayer(opens in new window), Carnegie Mellon’s vice president for research. “By bringing together expertise across technology, policy, economics and the social sciences, the center helps turn rigorous research into practical guidance for leaders navigating rapid technological change. Luca’s leadership will expand the reach and impact of this important work.”

Luca’s own research illustrates this approach. He and his coauthors have documented discrimination and racial disparities in online marketplaces such as Airbnb and studied how design choices could enable or mitigate them. The research helped spur changes in platform design and in how discrimination was measured on major platforms.

The same emphasis on connecting evidence to real-world decisions has shaped Luca’s work beyond academic journals. He has served in advisory roles with organizations including the OECD, the National Association for Business Economics, the Behavioural Insights Team, and CNBC’s Technology Executive Council. He has also written dozens of articles for broader audiences, including in The Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review.

“Research has a role to play throughout technological change whether in developing new technologies, measuring their effects, anticipating emerging challenges, or evaluating business and policy responses,” Luca said.

Among Luca’s first initiatives as director are two new cross-university programs launching this academic year. The Block Public Engagement Fellowship will support Carnegie Mellon faculty in bringing research and evidence into broader public conversations. The Block Student Fellowship on AI and Society will enable students from across the university to develop practical, interdisciplinary projects focused on the societal impact of AI.

The center will also expand opportunities for researchers to engage with policymakers, companies and civil society on emerging questions about technology and society.