Marketplace All-in-One A conversation with Nobel laureate Joel Mokyr
Oct 15, 2025
Nobel laureate Joel Mokyr discusses the role of institutions in harnessing technological progress. He argues that while AI can accelerate research, outdated systems might fail to keep pace, potentially leading to societal issues. On the economic front, recent bankruptcies raise alarms about private credit markets, highlighting risky borrowing practices and big banks' hidden exposure. Mokyr emphasizes the importance of agile training for workers in a rapidly changing job landscape, urging adaptation to new technologies.
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Institutions Must Keep Pace With Tech
- Joel Mokyr warns institutions can lag behind rapid technological change and cause societal harm.
- He argues fast tech advances risk creating disequilibrium if politics and institutions don't adapt.
AI As Tool, Not Existential Threat
- Mokyr rejects apocalyptic AI scenarios and views AI as a tool that accelerates knowledge and research.
- He remains worried about politics and institutions, not AI itself, as the primary risk.
Train For Flexibility Not Fixed Jobs
- Joel Mokyr advises societies to offer flexible, adaptable training so workers can switch tasks as technology makes jobs obsolete.
- He frames flexible training as the practical cost of progress compared with stagnation.