"Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg

AI, Stargate, & Surveillance with Auron McIntyre and Lev Polyakov

40 snips

Mar 6, 2025

Guest

Lev Polyakov

Guest

Auron MacIntyre

Auron McIntyre, a political commentator at The Blaze, joins Lev Polyakov, host of Break the Rules, for a deep dive into AI's societal implications. They debate Trump’s ties with tech leaders and potential surveillance. The duo discusses AI's impact on jobs, addressing fears of displacement vs. wage growth for low-skilled workers. They also explore AI's role in global competition and governance, raising questions about individual freedoms amid technological advancement. The conversation is both timely and thought-provoking!

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INSIGHT

AI's Uncertain Impact

AI's impact on jobs and productivity is uncertain, with experts like Daron Acemoglu predicting job displacement without productivity gains.
Current AI trends show wage increases for low-skill workers and a shift to high-skill jobs, but new AI could change this.

ADVICE

Regulating AI's Energy Consumption

Limit the percentage of electricity used by data centers to preserve human jobs.
This caps AI's growth relative to humans, ensuring humans remain employed and benefit from AI advancements.

INSIGHT

AI and the Limits of Complexity

Complex societies face declining marginal utility of complexity as resource extraction becomes harder.
AI aims to automate away this limitation, but maintaining AI itself requires vast resources.

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In this episode, Noah Smith recently went on the Break the Rules podcast, hosted by Lev Polyakov, for a debate with Auron MacIntyre. They discuss the societal implications of AI development, focusing on Trump's relationships with tech leaders, AI systems like Stargate, surveillance, economic productivity, regulatory measures, geopolitical competition, and immigrant labor's role in technological advancements.

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RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️Break The Rules - Hosted by Lev Polyakov, Break The Rules brings different online & offline circles together at a time of social atomization in order to break echo-chambers.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/break-the-rules/id1543233584

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yovF9Vo8n1fF1DGlMuWBh

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@breakth3rules/

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SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: Econ102@Turpentine.co

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FOLLOW ON X:

@LevPo

@AuronMacintyre

@noahpinion

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

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RECOMMENDED IN THIS EPISODE:

Trump Liberty or Technocracy? Auron Macintyre & Noah Smith: https://www.youtube.com/live/pH_nuk94FQk?si=D-5qvd74cpBSjwfm

The Total State: How Liberal Democracies Become Tyrannies: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1684515580ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_5Q231Q8CQ65W8Z0PTQ3H

Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/

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TAKEAWAYS:

AI Development and Trump Administration: The discussion examines Donald Trump's meetings with tech leaders and the "Stargate" AI system, raising questions about whether the administration will embrace technocratic control systems or maintain populist principles.
Labor Market Effects: Noah points out that despite previous AI advances, we've seen wage increases for lower-skilled workers and movement toward higher-skilled jobs, challenging assumptions about AI's negative impact on employment.
Oligarchic Influences: Auron describes the current political landscape as an "age of oligarchy" where different factions of wealthy interests compete for influence, with Trump balancing populist rhetoric against tech billionaire support.
Civilization Complexity Theory: Auron references Joseph Tainter's theory on how increasing complexity with diminishing returns contributes to civilizational collapse, suggesting AI may be an attempt to escape these human limitations.
Immigration Comparisons: Noah argues that despite current debates about immigration, America faces fewer ethnic tensions than 100 years ago, providing historical perspective on current social challenges.