WorkLab Economist Tyler Cowen on the positive side of AI negativity
53 snips
Jan 7, 2026 
Economist Tyler Cowen, a leading thinker and author, joins host Molly Wood to delve into the complexities of AI's impact on the economy and workplaces. He shares intriguing insights on how unhappiness can signal positive change, ponders the struggle of legacy institutions to adapt, and highlights the sectors poised for AI disruption. Cowen emphasizes the need for continued learning and skill retooling amid rapid advancements, urging listeners to embrace change and expand their interpersonal skills in the AI era.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Progress Feels Worse Than Stagnation
- Tyler Cowen argues AI and biomedical advances have pulled us out of a long stagnation.
- People prefer stagnation because it is predictable and comforting despite lower progress.
Chess Foretold AI's Intuition
- Cowen uses his chess experience to forecast AI's ability to handle intuition, citing Deep Blue beating Kasparov.
- He and other chess players were early bulls on AI because chess progress signaled handling of intuition.
Early Gains Are Time, Not GDP
- Generative AI currently saves time for many workers but has not yet moved GDP or productivity metrics much.
- Early impacts concentrate on programmers and skilled users who can leverage it well.
