AI Dark Output: The Visible Cost of Invisible Output

Why AI's increasing output is going to be one of the hardest economic measurement problems in history. AI "Dark Output" could end up being the majority of economic activity, but a challenge to measure

AI Dark Output: The Visible Cost of Invisible Output Why AI's increasing output is going to be one of the hardest economic measurement problems in history. AI "Dark Output" could end up being the majority of economic activity, but a challenge to measure Malcolm Spittler and Dylan Patel May 29, 2026 356 31 Share During the 1980s and 90s, macroeconomic data could not detect the contribution of the emerging computer revolution. Famously, Robert Solow quipped “You can see the computer age everywhere, but in the productivity statistics.” And yet, despite the dot com boom and bust the Magnificent 7

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