Big Technology Podcast Is AI Really Taking Our Jobs? — With Noah Smith
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Jul 2, 2025 
Noah Smith, a prominent economics writer known for his ‘Noahpinion’ blog and co-host of the Econ 102 podcast, shares insights on the impact of AI on productivity and jobs. He challenges the prevailing idea of an AI jobs apocalypse, suggesting that businesses need to adapt before the real benefits emerge. The discussion spans topics like immigration policy, wage inequality, and the shifting dynamics of modern conflicts, emphasizing how AI and economic trends shape societal unrest and geopolitical strategy.
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AI Needs Organizational Change
- Productivity gains from AI are not yet clear because businesses have not reorganized their processes fully to leverage it. - Historical analogies, like electricity in factories, show major gains require systemic change, not just tool replacement.
Uncertain AI Impact on Jobs
- It's uncertain if AI causes entry-level job hiring difficulties; multiple factors contribute to hiring slowdowns. - Evidence does not yet confirm a mass AI job displacement effect in early career roles.
AI Automates Tasks, Not Entire Jobs
- Task-based AI automation studies overestimate job loss by ignoring how work reorganizes and new tasks emerge. - AI typically automates parts of jobs, freeing humans for other work, rather than eliminating entire roles.