Fabian Stephany, Dr.
Fabian Stephany is a Researcher at the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society within the institute’s group for Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Society. He joined the Institute as an Associate Researcher in 2019. Fabian is also working as an economist and social data scientist at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), University of Oxford. With this current project on the future of creative work, Fabian investigates how we can create more sustainable jobs via data-driven reskilling in times of technological disruption.
He is a co-creator of the Online Labour Observatory – a digital data hub, hosted by the OII and the International Labour Organisation, for researchers, policy makers, journalists, and the public interested in online platform work. His research has been published in leading academic journals and was covered by Washington Post, The New York Times, The Telegraph, The Statesman, Nikkei Asia, and other popular media around the world.
Fabian holds a PhD and degrees in Economics and Social Sciences from different European institutions, including Universitá Bocconi Milan and University of Cambridge. As an Economist and Senior Data Scientist, Fabian has been working in the private sector and for various actors in the international policy landscape, such as the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank or the OECD in Paris.
Entrepreneurship & innovation · Science engagementDigitalisation and Sustainable Entrepreneurship
The Digitalisation and Entrepreneurship project explores sustainable digital entrepreneurship, the gig economy and the future of work.
Entrepreneurship & innovation · Science engagementDigitalisation and Climate
The project Digitalisation and Climate examines the economic, ecological & social dimensions of a sustainable digital economy.
Politics & law · Society & cultureDigital Electoral Compass 2021
The Digital Electoral Compass is intended to create transparency, show the parties' positions on digital policy issues and provide an overview of their individual...
Entrepreneurship & innovationData Cooperation Platforms for SMEs
The project Data Cooperation Platforms for SMEs (DaPla Mittelstand) is exploring how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in data-rich markets can better participate...
AI · Entrepreneurship & innovation · Society & cultureArtificial Intelligence & Knowledge Work – Implications, Opportunities and Risks
The research project focuses on the use of AI applications in the intraorganizational workplace of knowledge workers.
Journal articles and conference proceedings
McCarthy, P., Gong, X., Braesemann, F., Stephany, F., Rizoiu, M.-A., & Kern, M. L. (2023). The impact of founder personalities on startup success. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 1-12. Publication details
Ehlinger, E. G., & Stephany, F. (2023). Finding Talent for the Twin Transition: Are UK Firms Shifting Towards Skill-Based Hiring for AI and Green Jobs? SSRN. Publication details
Lorenz, H., Stephany, F., & Kluge, J. (2023). The future of employment revisited: how model selection affects digitization risks. Empirica, 50(2), 323-350. Publication details
Salem, H., Stephany, F. (2023). Wikipedia: a challenger’s best friend? Utilizing information-seeking behaviour patterns to predict US congressional elections. Information, Communication & Society, 26(1), 174-200. Publication details
Salem, H., & Stephany, F. (2022). Wikipedia: a challenger’s best friend? Utilizing information-seeking behaviour patterns to predict US congressional elections. Information, Communication & Society, 1-20. DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2021.1942953 Publication details
Stephany, F. (2021). One size does not fit all: Constructing complementary digital reskilling strategies using online labour market data. Big Data & Society, 8(1). DOI: 10.1177/20539517211003120 Publication details
Kässi, O., Lehdonvirta, V., & Stephany, F. (2021). How many online workers are there in the world? A data-driven assessment. Open Research Europe. DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.13639.4 Publication details
Stephany, F., Kässi, O., Rani, U., & Lehdonvirta, V. (2021). Online Labour Index 2020: New ways to measure the world’s remote freelancing market. Big Data & Society. DOI: 10.1177/20539517211043240 Publication details
Salem, H., & Stephany, F. (2020). Wikipedia: A Challenger’s Best Friend? Utilising Information-seeking Behaviour Patterns to Predict US Congressional Elections. SSRN. Publication details
Darius, P., & Stephany, F. (2019). “Hashjacking” the Debate: Polarisation strategies of Germany’s political far-right on Twitter. International Conference on Social Informatics, Springer, Cham.. DOI: 10.31235/osf.io/6gbc9 Publication details
Stephany, F., Braesemann, F., & Graham, M. (2019). Coding Together-Coding Alone: The Role of Trust in Collaborative Programming. Information, Communication, and Society, under revision. Publication details
Stephany F. (2019). Everything You Always Wanted to Know About AI – Nowcasting Digital Skills with Wikipedia. SocArXiv. DOI: 10.31235/osf.io/rfzdq Publication details
Stephany, F., Abel, G, J., & Muttarak, R. (2019). Learning About Internal Migration from Half a Billion Records – Applying Localised Classification Trees to Large-scale Census Data. SocArXiv. DOI: 10.31235/osf.io/bz6yu Publication details
Book contributions and chapters
Stephany, F. (2021). The digital transformation of industry and the world of work. In International Labour Organization (Eds.), World Employment and Social Outlook 2021: The role of digital labour platforms in transforming the world of work. Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour Office – Geneva: ILO. Publication details
Working paper
Stephany, F., & Luckin, R. (2022). Is the workforce ready for the jobs of the future? Data-informed skills and training foresight. Bruegel Working Paper. Publication details
Laux, J., Stephany, F., Russell, C., Wachter, S., & Mittelstadt, B. (2022). The Concentration-after-Personalisation Index (CAPI): Governing Effects of Personalisation Using the Example of Targeted Online Advertising. SSRN. DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.4084457 Publication details
Kässi, O., Lehdonvirta, V., & Stephany, F. (2021). How Many Online Workers are there in the World? A Data-Driven Assessment. EconPapers. Publication details
Stephany, F. (2021). When does it pay off to learn a new skill? Revealing the complementary benefit of cross-skilling. SocArXiv Papers. DOI: 10.31235/osf.io/sv9de Publication details
Braesemann, F., Stephany, F., Teutloff, O., Kässi, O., Graham, M., & Lehdonvirta, V. (2021). The polarisation of remote work. Available at SSRN. DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.3919655 Publication details
Stephany, F., & Lorenz, H. (2021). The future of employment revisited: how model selection determines automation forecasts. arXiv preprint. Publication details
Salem, H., & Stephany, F. (2021). Wikipedia: a challenger’s best friend? Utilizing information-seeking behaviour patterns to predict US congressional elections. Information, Communication & Society. DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2021.1942953 Publication details
Krell, T., Braesemann, F., Stephany, F., Friederici, N., & Meier, P. (2020). A Mixed-Method Landscape Analysis of SME-focused B2B Platforms in Germany. Social Science Research Network. Publication details
Stephany F. (2019). ‘It’s not only size that matters: determinants of Estonia’s e-governance success’. Electronic Government. Publication details
Schmeiss, J., Stephany, F., & Tech, R. (2019). The Business Model as Mediator during Socio-Technical Transitions – Empirical Evidence from Applied AI Technology Startups in the Energy and Transportation Sector. SocArXiv. DOI: 10.31235/osf.io/zuhq4 Publication details
Other publications
Stephany, F., Braesemann, F., Stoehr, N., Darius, P., Teutloff, O., & Neuhäuser, L. (2022). Quo Vadis, CoRisk-Index? Oxford Internet Institute Blog. Publication details
Stephany, F. (2022). Big challenges and big data – Making climate-induced migration visible with machine learning. Oxford Internet Institute Blog. Publication details
Klausing, S., & Stephany, F. (2022). Is tech ‘taking over’? How the online workforce shifts towards tech work. Online Labour Observatory. Publication details
Stephany, F. (2021). Germany: Hidden Champion of Online Platform Work? Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Friederici, N., Krell, T., Meier, P., Braesemann, F., & Stephany, F. (2020). Plattforminnovation im Mittelstand, . Publication details
Lectures and presentations
Is the Future of Work Online? Exploring the Global Online Gig EconomyGIZ.digital Gateway Online Event (Session: Is the Future of Work Online? Exploring the Global Online Gig Economy). Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. Virtual, Virtual, Germany: 15.06.2022
Fabian Stephany
Resilience of the workforce in the digital ageThe Business & Management Collection, Henry Stewart Talks (Session: Resilience of the workforce in the digital age). Henry Stewart Talks. Virtual, Virtual, Virtual: 30.05.2022 Further information
Fabian Stephany
Closing the Digital Skill Gap: The Potential of Online Platform Data for Active Labour Market PoliciesIE Business School Madrid, Centre for the Governance of Change, Expert Meeting (Session: Closing the Digital Skill Gap: The Potential of Online Platform Data for Active Labour Market Policies). IE Business School Madrid, Centre for the Governance of Change, Madrid, Spain: 04.02.2022 Further information
Fabian Stephany
Online Labour Index 2020: New ways to measure the world's remote freelancing marketPLAMASIO Talk Weizenbaum Institute (Session: Online Labour Index 2020: New ways to measure the world's remote freelancing market). Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society. Virtual, Berlin, Germany: 29.01.2022 Further information
Fabian Stephany
Online Labour Index 2020: New ways to measure the world’s remote freelancing market3rd Crowdworking Symposium. Universität Bremen, Online, Germany: 17.09.2021 Further information
Fabian Stephany
Is the future of work online? How online labour markets change the world of workWebinar: British Council 'Knowledge is GREAT' lecture: Is the future of work online?. British Council Singapore, Online, Singapore: 29.04.2021 Further information
Fabian Stephany
Coding Together - Coding Alone: The Role of Trust in Collaborative ProgrammingBrown Bag Seminar. Oxford Internet Institute, Oxford, United Kingdom: 13.11.2019
Fabian Stephany
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About AI - Nowcasting Digital Skills with Wikipedia.Complex Networks Conference. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lissabon, Portugal: 08.11.2019 Further information
Fabian Stephany
Coding Together - Coding Alone: The Role of Trust in Collaborative ProgrammingPlatform Economy Interest Group. Oxford Internet Institute, Oxford, United Kingdom: 25.10.2019
Fabian Stephany
How Digital Platforms Change Innovation, Knowledge and WorkDAAD Alumni Annual Meeting 2019. Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst. Universität Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany: 28.09.2019
Fabian Stephany
Coding Together - Coding Alone: The Role of Trust in Collaborative Programming1st Winter School. Complexity Science Hub Vienna. Obergurgl University Center, Obergurgl, Austria: 03.03.2019 Further information
Fabian Stephany
Panels
Remote Working During the Pandemic I: Experiences from different continentsAnnual Conference of the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics. SASE Conference, Online, Germany: 03.07.2021 Further information
Fabian Stephany
Digital Economy in the Western Balkans: Trends and Implications in Online LabourWestern Balkans Digital Summit (UNDP invitation). UNDP. Palace of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia: 05.04.2019 Further information
Fabian Stephany
Moderation of workshops and panels
Multi-stakeholder dialogue: Towards a fairer online platform economy in Kenya. Digital Transformation Center Kenya. PrideInn Azure Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya: 09.11.2022Fabian Stephany
Web ScrapingWeb Scraping. Bertelsmann Stiftung, Gütersloh, Germany: 22.11.2021
Fabian Stephany
Organisation of events
Digitaler Salon: Von Gig zu Gig29.03.2023. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany (National) Further information
Daniel Pothmann, Sarah Spitz, Sonja Köhne, Fabian Stephany
Online Roundtable Discussion: How can we accelerate the production and adoption of e-government services in Morocco?17.03.2023. Online, Rabat, Morocco. Co-Organised by: Digital Transformation Center Morocco (International) Further information
Marie Blüml, Fabian Stephany
Lunch Talk Series I Digitalisation, Sustainability & Entrepreneurship14.12.2022. Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany (International) Further information
Sarah Spitz, Georg von Richthofen, Fabian Stephany, Theresa Züger
Panel discussion: Workers’ Rights and Platforms’ Responsibility – Towards a Fairer Online Platform Economy in Kenya09.11.2022. PrideInn Azure Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya (International) Further information
Marie Blüml, Fabian Stephany, Moritz Timm
Multi-stakeholder-dialogue: Towards a fairer online platform economy in Kenya09.11.2022. PrideInn Azure Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya (International)
Marie Blüml, Fabian Stephany, Moritz Timm
Panel discussion: The future of online labour markets and regulation of the platform economy26.07.2022. Marriott Hotel, Accra, Ghana (International) Further information
Marie Blüml, Fabian Stephany, Christian Grauvogel
Multi-stakeholder dialogue: Governing a polarised market – Policies towards fairer online gig-work25.07.2022. Marriott Hotel, Accra, Ghana (International)
Marie Blüml, Fabian Stephany, Christian Grauvogel
Research sprint: Sustainable Digital EconomiesFrom 31.05.2022 to 27.07.2022. online, Accra, Ghana. Co-Organised by: Digital Transformation Center Ghana (International)
Katja Derichs, Ann-Kristin Ziesemer, Fabian Braesemann, Marie Blüml, Fabian Stephany, Christian Grauvogel, Moritz Timm
Digitaler Salon: Digitale Gesellschaft: Nerds Only?24.11.2021. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany (National) Further information
Nicole Butters, Marie Blüml, Fabian Stephany, Christian Grauvogel
Is the future of work online?British Council 'Knowledge is GREAT' lecture. 29.04.2021. Online, Singapore, Singapore. Co-Organised by: British Council Singapore (International) Further information
Fabian Stephany
Nominations
Research Team "The Digital Revolution and the New Social Contract" at IE Madrid.Sonja Köhne, Fabian Stephany, Philip Meier, Miriam Wolf, Christoph Gerling
Participation as expert
Analyse von Online Stellenanzeigen Workshop:Bertelsmann Stiftung, Online, Germany: 30.09.2021Fabian Stephany
Media appearances
Aus der Angst heraus zum Aufschwung: Wie KI unsere Kompetenzen neu definiert (10.03.2025). Tagesspiegel Background
Further information
Stephany im Interview: „KI-Skills bringen so viel wie ein Doktortitel“ (27.02.2024). Handelsblatt
Further information
Berufliche Fortbildung. Warum der Umgang mit KI die neue Schlüsselqualifikation ist (25.02.2024). Handelsblatt
Further information
Debatte um Technologieregulierung: Klimaschutz als Vorbild für KI (26.09.2023). taz
Further information
KI (25.05.2023). ORF Ö1 Matrix
Further information
Wie Künstliche Intelligenz die Arbeitswelt verändert (15.06.2023). ORF OE1
Further information
Podcast: Online Labour: Can we all just move to Tahiti? (23.03.2022). The Sound of Economics Podcast
Further information
BE:CURIOUS Podcast from the Berlin University Alliance (15.02.2022). BE:CURIOUS Podcast from the Berlin University Alliance
Further information
Media
Superpower Skills – The Role of Skills in Times of Technological Change
Keynote: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and AK Österreich - 2023
The Role of Skills in Times of AI
Keynote: Economics of AI conference Vienna - 2023
Generative AI and the Future of Work
Talk: GenAI Summit Oxford 2023
Digital Salon 2022: “From Gig to Gig”
Digitaler Salon am HIIG 2023
Position
Associated Researcher: Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Society
Contact
Topics: AI & Work, Internet Economy, Digital Platform Work, Platform