Kamala Harris, a prominent politician who recently joined the Democratic ticket, discusses the surge of small-dollar donations to her campaign, revealing how grassroots support is energizing voters. She highlights the financial dynamics of her fundraising compared to Donald Trump. The conversation also dives into Israel’s military actions in Lebanon and the explosive growth of AI in the coding industry, exploring how it may reshape software engineering roles despite concerns over job displacement.
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Quick takeaways
Kamala Harris's campaign experienced a significant boost from grassroots small-dollar donations, raising over $200 million in July alone.
The global defense industry anticipates record financial growth, with major contractors set to accumulate $52 billion by 2026 amid geopolitical tensions.
Deep dives
Rising Profits in the Global Defense Industry
The global defense industry is poised to experience unprecedented financial growth, with major aerospace and defense contractors expected to accumulate approximately $52 billion by 2026. This surge in revenue is driven by heightened geopolitical tensions, prompting governments to place significant orders for weapons. However, these companies face challenges in utilizing this newfound wealth, as it typically takes years for contracts to result in actual sales. Consequently, many are resorting to share buybacks or seeking mergers and acquisitions, though both strategies are fraught with public backlash and limited opportunities.
Small-Dollar Donors Impacting U.S. Elections
Small-dollar donations have emerged as a transformative force in U.S. presidential elections, particularly benefiting Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign. In July alone, Harris raised over $200 million, significantly surpassing former President Donald Trump's $48 million, highlighting a shift in fundraising dynamics. The majority of Harris's contributions came from grassroots efforts, with approximately 1.5 million new small donors joining her campaign within just 11 days. This surge indicates not only financial support but also heightened enthusiasm among voters, suggesting a potential shift in the electoral landscape.
AI Technology Revolutionizing Coding
Artificial intelligence is set to revolutionize the software engineering landscape, with new AI coding assistants proving capable of performing tasks traditionally reserved for human programmers. Investments in this sector have soared, with over $1 billion directed towards AI coding technologies since early 2022, as major companies like Microsoft and Google vie for market share. Although these AI assistants can now code entire applications, their effectiveness depends on users having a foundational understanding of programming concepts. Rather than replacing coders, this technological advancement is seen as a complementary tool, likely increasing demand for skilled programmers while automating some junior roles.
Israel’s military launched a wave of air strikes in southern Lebanon on Sunday, small-dollar donations surged to Kamala Harris’s campaign after she replaced Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket, and the world’s largest aerospace and defence companies are set to rake in record levels of cash over the next three years. Plus, computer programming might be the first job function to be transformed by the latest wave of AI technology.
The FT News Briefing is produced by Niamh Rowe, Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Molly Nugent, Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Monica Lopez. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.