Author: Yuhuan
Contact: yuhuan@uchicago.edu
A web application designed to help students and researchers use AI more conveniently in economics and public policy research.
The app offers Student Mode and Professional Mode with different tool sets.
- Empirical Copilot - Generate R/Python/Stata code from text or formula screenshots
- Policy Memo Generator - Structured policy memos with key points and recommendations
- Paper Deconstructor - Extract strategies, assumptions, and summaries from papers
- Interview Trainer - Practice Predoc technical interviews with AI questions
- Cover Letter Editor - AI-powered revision suggestions for cover letters
- Offer Generator - Humorous fake offer letters for academic and industry positions
- Proof Writer - Upload formula images and generate mathematical proofs or explanations
- Formula to LaTeX - Convert formulas to LaTeX from images or text descriptions
- Code Snippet Library - R/Stata code snippets for regression, DiD, RDD, and more
- Policy Analyst - AI-assisted policy analysis with empirical tools
- Policy DL Agent - Deep learning models for policy optimization
- Literature Helper - Literature review and citation assistance
- Research Design Advisor - Research methodology guidance
- Topics - Curated resources by field (Urban, Healthcare, Development, etc.)
- Knowledge Base - Essential concepts in economics, econometrics, and data analysis
- Career Path - Guidance for economics and policy careers
- Find Professors - Search economics professors by field and school
- Book List - Recommended books in economics and public policy
- Outside Links - Useful resources for economics and policy research
- Paper Replication - Data and code for replicating AER and AEA journal papers
- Node.js (v16 or higher)
- npm or yarn
- OpenAI API key
- Python 3 (optional, for Policy Analyst & Policy DL Agent features)
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/AI4ECPPS/AI4ECPP.git
cd AI4ECPP
# Install frontend dependencies
npm install
# Install backend dependencies
cd server && npm install && cd ..
# Copy environment template
cp server/.env.example server/.envEdit server/.env and add your credentials:
PORT=3001
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-your-openai-api-key
JWT_SECRET=your-random-secret-key
FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:1307
Generate a secure JWT secret: openssl rand -base64 32
Option A - One command (recommended):
./start.shOption B - Two terminals:
Terminal 1 - Backend:
cd server && npm startTerminal 2 - Frontend:
npm run devVisit http://localhost:1307
The project includes Docker and Railway configuration for easy deployment. See DEPLOYMENT.md for detailed instructions.
# Build with Docker
docker build -t ai4ecpp .
# Run
docker run -p 3001:3001 -e OPENAI_API_KEY=xxx -e JWT_SECRET=xxx ai4ecpp| Layer | Technologies |
|---|---|
| Frontend | React 18, Vite, Tailwind CSS, React Router |
| Backend | Node.js, Express.js |
| AI | OpenAI API |
| ML/Analysis | Python (PyTorch, pandas, scikit-learn) |
AI4ECPP/
├── src/ # Frontend React app
│ ├── pages/ # Page components
│ ├── components/ # Reusable components
│ └── utils/ # API & utilities
├── server/ # Backend Express server
│ ├── routes/ # API routes
│ └── scripts/ # Python analysis scripts
├── Dockerfile # Production build
└── railway.toml # Railway config
| Variable | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
OPENAI_API_KEY |
Yes | OpenAI API key |
JWT_SECRET |
Yes | Secret for JWT tokens |
PORT |
No | Server port (default: 3001) |
FRONTEND_URL |
No | CORS origin for frontend |
VITE_API_BASE_URL |
No | Backend API URL (frontend) |
DATABASE_URL |
No | PostgreSQL connection string for user data and RAG persistence |
Contributions are welcome! Please see CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.
This project is licensed for personal, educational, and non-commercial use only. Commercial use and redistribution are prohibited; any permitted sharing must include attribution and a link back to this repository. See the LICENSE file for full terms.
© 2026 Yuhuan. All rights reserved.