Economist Jonathan Haskel discusses the rise of intangible assets in the knowledge economy, emphasizing the shift from tangible to intangible investments in companies like Google and Microsoft. He highlights the unique properties of intangible assets, such as scalability and sunk costs, and explores the challenges of measuring intangible productivity. The podcast delves into the impact of intangibles on economic growth, the need for policy adjustments, and the transition to an intangible economy.

What do lighthouses, the wheelie suitcase, Harry Potter, and Wikipedia have in common? They showcase the progressive evolution towards investment in the "intangible economy": one prioritizing knowledge, relationships, design, reputation, and other internal organization over physical assets. Jonathan Haskel is Professor of Economics at Imperial College (London) and the co-author of a new book "Restarting the Future: How to Fix the Intangible Economy". Bethany and Luigi sit down with Haskel to discuss the characteristics and consequences of this economy, its value to society, the system of rewards and incentives behind it, and the role for government in regulating it. They also discuss the leaked Supreme Court memo on Roe v. Wade and the extent to which corporate America should be weighing in on political debates. (49:46)