Lecture: "Diffusion of learning models"

Professor Lenya Ryzhik is ​2022/2023 Nirit and Michael Shaoul Fellow of the Mortimer and Raymond Sackler Institute of Advanced Studies.

Abstract

The notion of diffusion of knowledge goes at least as far back to Chapter 1 of the "Pickwick Papers". However, its mathematical modeling in macroeconomics is much more recent. We will discuss some models proposed by Robert Lucas and Benjamin Moll about ten years ago.

Various versions lead to the mean field games type PDE and also infinite-dimensional optimal control Hamilton-Jacobi problems. We will discuss the little mathematical progress but mostly focus on the modeling and open questions aspects.