Policy
The use of AI tools for research at the NBER requires attention to the type of input to ensure no breach of confidential or restricted information. Other considerations include copyright and whether the tool itself is communicating back to a LLM.
Because of the nature of the data and data agreements, no AI tools can be allowed in the "Aging" environment.
Data
Restricted data, as defined by data use agreements, should never be used with AI tools, unless explicitly permitted by the data provider. In case of doubt, we advise you to stay on the side of caution and refrain from feeding your data into a LLM. Please consult data@nber.org regarding questions about your DUA and acceptable use of AI tools.
Code
The NBER does not currently have a site license for researchers. Your home institution may have a license for CoPilot, Claude, Gemini, Cursor, etc.; please note while your code may be used with a tool, it is your responsibility to ensure that comments and outputs do not contain data that is restricted under your DUA. It is also your responsibility to know if a particular tool trains an LLM, and thus your inputs are not private. Please consult data@nber.org with questions.
Methods for Verifying AI Accuracy
AI tools can save time and streamline tasks, but they should not replace human judgment. While there are many exciting things that can be done with AI, it is important to use these tools safely and effectively. These tools are prone to errors, or “hallucinations,” and may produce incorrect or inconsistent results, even when using identical prompts. Therefore, accuracy verification is essential when using any AI system.
Verification Methods:
Validate data accuracy against known, reliable sources
Cross-reference results with given knowledge
Run identical prompts multiple times to assess consistency
Always review and verify AI-generated content before relying on it