September 5, 2025
University of Toronto’s Rotman School Professor Honored as Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada for Pioneering Research in Technological Innovation and Economics
In a landmark recognition that celebrates decades of impactful scholarship, Professor Joshua Gans from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC). This highly prestigious accolade acknowledges his extraordinary contributions to the fields of economics, innovation, and strategic management, marking him as one of Canada’s foremost thought leaders in understanding the intersection of technology and economic progress.
Professor Gans’s research is profoundly centered on the economic mechanisms underpinning innovation and scientific advancement, with a specialized focus on how firms, markets, and societies adapt amid rapid technological upheaval. His work rigorously examines the economic ramifications of emergent technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain systems, and complex digital platforms, highlighting their transformative influence on business ecosystems and economic landscapes alike.
This fellowship situates Professor Gans among the elite cohort of scholars recognized by their peers for exceptional scholarship, scientific rigor, and intellectual leadership across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. The 2025 class of fellows represents a diverse and formidable group of accomplished individuals whose work drives Canada’s academic and societal advancement. Their induction ceremony is scheduled for November 2025, where Professor Gans along with his peers will be formally celebrated.
Dean Susan Christoffersen of the Rotman School of Management expressed profound admiration for Professor Gans’s victorious election to the RSC, emphasizing his prolific academic record and the real-world applications of his research. According to Christoffersen, “Professor Gans excels as a transformative researcher and inspiring educator whose innovative work in entrepreneurship and innovation has tangible impacts across industries. His mentorship has also been pivotal to the success of countless entrepreneurs and scientists through his engagement with the Creative Destruction Lab.”
Currently holding the Jeffrey S. Skoll Chair of Technical Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Professor Gans is a seminal figure in strategic management. His scholarship deftly explores how firms harness disruptive technologies and navigate uncertainty to gain competitive advantage. By analyzing markets’ responses to artificial intelligence adoption, decentralized blockchain infrastructures, and digital platform dynamics, he offers profound insights into technology’s role in reshaping economic behavior and organizational strategy.
Professor Gans’s influential book, Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence, co-authored with Ajay Agrawal and Avi Goldfarb, demystifies AI’s economic impact by framing prediction as a fundamental component of decision-making. This paradigm shifts the conversation beyond technical specifications, stressing AI’s potential to optimize resource allocation and reduce uncertainty in business processes and markets. His subsequent work, Power and Prediction, further interrogates the interplay between AI capabilities and economic power structures, deepening understanding of AI’s implications for future market dynamics.
In addition to his academic appointments at Rotman, Professor Gans holds cross-appointments with the Department of Economics and The Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, as well as a cross-appointment at Melbourne Business School. This interdisciplinary positioning enhances his ability to integrate insights from economics, policy, and management to formulate comprehensive perspectives on technological disruptions and innovation systems.
Beyond academia, Professor Gans serves as the Chief Economist of the Creative Destruction Lab, a renowned incubator for science-driven ventures that bridges cutting-edge research with entrepreneurial experimentation. His stewardship in this role fosters the incubation of startups at the frontier of technology commercialization, directly influencing the innovation ecosystem through mentorship and strategic guidance. He is also a co-founder of All Day TA, an initiative designed to democratize access to educational and entrepreneurial tools.
Professor Gans’s affiliations extend internationally. He is connected with the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), Schwartz-Reisman Institute, the Acceleration Consortium, e61 Institute, and Luohan Academy. These partnerships reflect his integration into global networks of academic excellence and applied innovation research, reinforcing the transnational relevance and impact of his scholarship.
The RSC, founded in 1882, represents Canada’s preeminent academic institution, encompassing the Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences. The society’s mission includes the promotion of scholarly excellence, advising government policy, and fostering a robust culture of intellectual endeavor within and beyond Canada’s borders. Election to the fellowship is the highest form of recognition for contributions that significantly advance knowledge and public life.
Professor Joshua Gans’s election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada marks a milestone not only in his personal academic journey but also underscores the critical importance of economic research in the age of accelerated technological change. His work continues to shape the theoretical and practical understanding of how innovation drives economic growth and societal transformation in a digital era.
As technological disruptions continue to redefine the contours of commerce and public policy, the insights produced by scholars like Professor Gans remain essential. His thought leadership illuminates pathways for firms and governments to navigate complexity, leverage innovation for inclusive prosperity, and anticipate the long-run consequences of digital economies.
The Rotman School of Management, situated at the core of Canada’s commercial capital, proudly champions transformative learning and research projects that create substantial value for business and society. Professor Gans’s RSC fellowship epitomizes the school’s mission and commitment to intellectual excellence and societal impact.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Ken McGuffin
Manager, Media Relations
Rotman School of Management
University of Toronto
Email: mcguffin@rotman.utoronto.ca
Office: 416-946-3818
Subject of Research: Economic drivers of innovation, technological adaptation in firms and markets with a focus on artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and digital platforms.
News Publication Date: September 5, 2025
Web References: www.rotman.utoronto.ca
Image Credits: Rotman School of Management
Keywords: Economics; Entrepreneurship; Business; Innovation; Artificial Intelligence; Blockchain; Digital Platforms; Strategic Management; Technological Change; Creative Destruction Lab; Innovation Economics
