Joel Mokir first became known to the Greek public with his book “The Gifts of Athena”. It is one of the books (along with: The Power of Innovation, The Secrets of Progress and From Innovation to Prosperity) that established him internationally as one of the most important historians of economics.

His international influence was crowned a few weeks ago when it was announced that he was among three economists to win the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics.

His work, which argues that societies progress when they foster a culture of progress and the tools of technology are available to a wide audience – not just a closed caste of the privileged – is considered highly relevant as the world is called upon to embrace the onslaught of artificial intelligence.

Joel Mokyr admitted he does not know the Greek economy in depth and has visited Greece only once—back in 1955, at age nine, when his family emigrated from the Netherlands to Israel.

“We stayed just one day in Athens, and my mother took us to the Acropolis,” he recalled.

When asked how Greece could regain a leading role in innovation—centuries after the achievements of ancient Greece—he said the country must focus on solving the same major challenges facing most of Europe: climate change and demographic decline.

What Greece needs, he stressed, is “first of all, a strong pro-growth ideology,” one that directs growth toward the most urgent needs: climate and demographic change. “These are the two big issues,” he said, adding that Europe should also open its doors to migrants. “Many are skilled, well-educated, highly productive—some may be very innovative. Europeans should welcome them with open arms. My advice is: forget cultural prejudice and think like economists. These people are a bonus for your economy.”

Creative Destruction and Compensating the “Losers”

Many in Greece cite Mokyr’s work as justification for letting “creative destruction” reshape the economy and society. Is that the right path?

“I’m glad you asked,” he replied. “Whenever there is technological progress, there are winners and losers. Most inventions make some skills obsolete. These people will always resist technological change. That is why unions have historically been an obstacle. We need policies that minimize this resistance.”

His solution: retrain those who can be retrained, and compensate those who cannot.
“If you’re 52 and your skill becomes obsolete, there must be a mechanism where those who gain from new technology compensate those who lose. Europe’s welfare state does this somewhat—though not very well. The U.S. does it even worse.”

The Role of Government and the Private Sector

What reforms should governments adopt to promote innovation today?

Mokyr argued for “a careful and sophisticated partnership with the private sector.” Governments should not try to pick winners:
“If they do, you’ll end up building things like the Concorde or Minitel—projects that didn’t work.”

Government, he said, should provide funding when needed, educate the workforce that will implement new technologies, and reduce resistance from those likely to be harmed by technological transitions.Artificial Intelligence and the “Privileges of the Rich”

Mokyr is not among the scholars deeply worried about the rise of AI. On the contrary, he welcomes it, arguing that it will democratize advantages once accessible only to the wealthy.

“In the past, the rich had one thing: servants. Today very few people have personal servants. AI and robotics will give everyone some form of machine that acts as a helper. It will be a fantastic improvement.”

He also believes AI-driven growth is essential for poorer nations facing the worst effects of climate change.

“Economic growth creates resources—and we will need enormous resources to overcome climate change. We cannot afford not to grow. Combating climate change is expensive. Maybe we don’t need more SUVs or huge houses, but we do need resources, especially for the poorest countries in Africa and Asia, which face the greatest risks.”