"Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg Manufacturing's Future, The Electric Tech Stack, and Automation
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Oct 8, 2025 Discover how the electric tech stack is revolutionizing global manufacturing, uniting batteries, chips, and motors into a cohesive industry. Explore the future of jobs, where automation could diminish manual roles but elevate engineering positions. Delve into the implications of U.S. and Canadian industrial policies and the need for targeted subsidies to promote manufacturing. Additionally, ponder the contrasts between China's and America's economic approaches and the complexities of online discourse and societal unrest.
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Conference Takeaway: Canadians Are Cheerful
- Noah describes Canadians as unusually cheerful, comparing them to Americans and Midwesterners.
- He used the observation as a light opener before discussing industrial policy at a Canadian conference.
Manufacturing Is Becoming An Electric Tech Stack
- Manufacturing is converging onto a small set of electric components like batteries, motors, chips, and power electronics.
- This
Manufacturing Won't Return Old Mass Jobs
- Modern manufacturing will create more engineering and technical middle-skill jobs, not old assembly-line roles.
- Manufacturing growth will be robot-heavy and not a mass-jobs program.
