Dwarkesh Podcast Tyler Cowen - the #1 bottleneck to AI progress is humans
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Jan 9, 2025 
Tyler Cowen, an economist and writer known for his insights on Marginal Revolution, joins to discuss the limitations of AI in driving economic growth. He argues that human intelligence is the true bottleneck to progress and highlights the complex interplay of culture and innovation. The conversation also dives into the role of founders in success stories and the importance of networking in an AI-driven world. From effective altruism to historical perspectives on leadership, Cowen's insights challenge conventional narratives on progress.
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Uneven AI Adoption
- Explosive economic growth is hard because some sectors, like healthcare and education, adopt new tech slowly.
- These sectors make up a significant part of the economy, limiting overall growth.
Intelligence Bottlenecks
- Increased intelligence makes other constraints more binding, reducing its marginal value.
- This self-limits growth, similar to the cost disease illustrated by barbers and string quartets.
Normal Market Data
- Market data like real interest rates and stock prices look normal, not indicating rapid growth.
- Experts and markets agree on this; Tyler Cowen aligns with this consensus.