S&P Global and Wellbeing Research Centre establish strategic collaboration to study AI-enabled work

The Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford and financial intelligence experts S&P Global have established a strategic collaboration to enable new research into how emerging technologies are changing the landscape of work.

The Wellbeing Research Centre is one of eight strategic collaborators announced today as part of the next phase of the three-year $10 million StepForward initiative between S&P Global and the S&P Global Foundation.

Launched in December 2025, StepForward aims to equip the next generation with the skills needed to succeed in an AI-enabled workforce by working through global and regional collaborators, complemented by skills-based volunteering that channels S&P Global employees’ expertise.

Strategic collaboration between S&P Global and the Wellbeing Research Centre will enable interdisciplinary study of multiple aspects of AI, data, and emerging technologies, as well as their knock-on effects on wellbeing at work and other indicators of business performance.

In particular, researchers will focus on how technological developments change and shape the job market, and identify the skills required for people to thrive in the AI era.

Funding will also support an academic prize for outstanding research in the domain of AI, wellbeing and the future of work. Further details of this student prize, including how to enter, will be announced by the Wellbeing Research Centre in due course.

Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Professor of Economics and Behavioural at Saïd Business School and Director of the Wellbeing Research Centre, said: “AI has already fundamentally changed the world of work, but its impact on wellbeing remains poorly understood. This strategic collaboration enables us to take a closer look at how people respond to the opportunities – and challenges – that such emerging technologies may create.”

Girish Ganesan, Chief People Officer at S&P Global, said: “This collaboration reflects StepForward’s commitment to supporting organisations that drive innovation and impact. We’re proud to advance the Wellbeing Research Centre’s new interdisciplinary research, which will contribute to a deeper understanding of AI and the future of work.”

Find out more about the StepForward initiative at spglobal.com/en/who-we-are/corporate-responsibility/stepforward.