If you read in any of WIRED’s recent artificial intelligence issues, you know that many people spend a lot of time talking about how this technology is revolutionizing virtually everything from coding to writing to accounting. You’ve probably heard from us or someone else that we may very well find ourselves in an AI-driven economic bubble, where billions of dollars being funneled into the industry create an unsustainable economic scenario that could prove disastrous.
Of course, you may have also read that I’m really fed up with questions about artificial intelligence. But I still can’t get enough of asking other people about it – especially when they are much smarter at it than me. Enter Joe Weisenthal, Bloomberg’s fantasy co-host Strange fates podcast and my former colleague. Trust me: because someone who has listened to Joe lose his mind in the office for a year – loudly! – every time the economy has crashed, few people have thought more about the financial situation of our country and our planet than Joe. Joe’s concerns right now aren’t just about what will happen if or when the AI bubble bursts. His worries focus more on what’s going right and wrong in the broader American economy.
This week’s episode Great interviewJoe and I talked about strange market metrics, US competition with China, and whether we should all be preparing for an AI economic apocalypse.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
KATIE DRUMMOND: Joe Weisenthal, welcome Great interview.
JOE WEISENTHAL: I’m excited to be here. Nice to see you again.
It’s been too long. We were just talking about how [you] and I worked together – what was it like, nine years ago?
I think you were there in 2014, 2015, so maybe 10 years ago or something?
Yes, I worked at Bloomberg. I lasted about a year.
Not bad.
Not bad. I’m about twenty years senior, so maybe this is not the most conducive environment for my professional success. Let’s say this. But Joe, you were there, you were raucous, you were proud, you were always very excited about the economy.
I love talking about the economy.
You just screamed and screamed and hooted and screamed and I said, who is this guy sitting across from me? And why is it so raucous? But I really appreciate your enthusiasm.