半岛平台

From May 12 to 14, 2025, Thomas Sargent, the 2011 Nobel laureate in economics and a leading macroeconomist, led his team to Wuhan University’s School of Economics and Management for a short-term teaching program. The delegation was warmly welcomed by Qi Lingling, Deputy Director of the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office; Wang Liping, Party Secretary of the School; Nie Jun, Dean of the School; Li Hao, Deputy Party Secretary; and Vice Deans Liu Linqing and Li Bin.

In his opening remarks, Professor Nie Jun highlighted that this course focused on the cutting-edge theme of "Generative AI Economic Laboratory – Applications of Machine Learning in Economics." It not only imparted economic theory but also allowed students to experience AI-powered computational methods firsthand. By utilizing cloud-based platforms, students could easily conduct modeling and analysis, immersing themselves in the unique appeal of digital-intelligent education. Professor Nie also shared anecdotes illustrating Professor Sargent’s dedication to students and rigorous teaching approach.

During the lectures, Professor Sargent emphasized the importance of continuous learning. He began with the present value theory from the QuantEcon introductory course, delving into asset pricing models. Using linear algebra and matrix operations, he demonstrated how to compute asset price sequences, analyze price compositions under different scenarios, and examine asset bubbles and returns.

Dr. Shi Zejin, an economics researcher from the University of Arizona and a member of Sargent’s teaching team, provided a detailed walkthrough of the coding implementation for present value theory. Professor Zhu Shenghao from the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) explained consumption smoothing and equilibrium difference models, along with their code implementations, and introduced artificial neural networks from the QuantEcon intermediate course. Drawing from his extensive practical experience, Professor Zhu also shared valuable coding tips, making the course highly informative.

This teaching program was based on the QuantEcon curriculum led by Professor Sargent, integrating AI deeply into classroom teaching and post-class research via cloud computing. While systematically introducing economic theories, the course simultaneously demonstrated real-world code applications, allowing students to engage in hands-on programming exercises during lectures. This initiative marks a new paradigm of generative AI-driven digital-intelligent education in economics.

Reporters: Zhu Bochen, Guo Pengwei, Wang Fang; Reviewers: Nie Jun, Li Hao, Sun Xiang