WILLIAMS said it remains unclear how productivity gains will ultimately affect
interest rates and Fed policy. "My answer to how changes in trend productivity
growth will affect the economy and monetary policy is, unsurprisingly, it
depends," he said, adding the impact depends on the nature of the change and its
expected persistence. His remarks come as Fed officials assess whether recent
productivity gains and AI-driven expectations of further improvements will alter
inflation dynamics and the labor market; several officials have expressed
uncertainty about the eventual effects.