The Intelligence from The Economist

Suck in the middle: the hole in America’s consumer base

May 12, 2023

Tom Lee Devlin, a global business correspondent, analyzes the decline of middle-of-the-road American brands amid post-pandemic consumer behavior shifts. Tom Wainwright, Tech and Media editor, discusses how AI is setting to revolutionize journalism, enhancing news delivery while raising concerns about job security. Fiametta Rocco reflects on historian Ranajit Guha's impact, highlighting the importance of viewing history through the lens of marginalized voices, including a poignant tale from 19th-century Bengal.

26:05

Creator website

Episode guests

Fiametta Rocco

Tom Wainwright

Tom Lee-Devlin

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

Shifting Consumer Dynamics

8min

The Impact of AI on Journalism and Industry

2min

The AI Revolution in Journalism

5min

The Impact of AI on Employment in the Workforce

2min

Echoes of Chandra: A Feminist Historical Exploration

7min

The past few years have proved tumultuous both for American consumers and for retailers selling to them. The end result is a curious slump for middle-of-the-road brands. Artificial intelligence like ChatGPT stands to disrupt everything from art to coding; we self-interestedly explore probable effects on journalism. And remembering Ranajit Guha, a historian who saw a different India by looking bottom-up.

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