

Simon Johnson
Professor at MIT's Sloan School of Management and former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund. Researches the role of institutions in countries around the world.
Top 10 podcasts with Simon Johnson
Ranked by the Snipd community

173 snips
Jul 9, 2025 • 36min
Summer School 1: A government's role in the economy is to make us all richer
Join Simon Johnson, a prominent MIT professor and former chief economist of the IMF, as he dives into the intricate relationship between government and economic success. He argues that government influence has always been present in economics, countering the notion of a purely free market. The discussion spans intriguing stories from India, New York City, and Peru, touching on how bureaucratic efficiency can make or break economies, particularly for informal sectors like Jamaican street vendors. Johnson emphasizes the critical roles of innovation, wealth distribution, and inclusive governance in fostering prosperity.

140 snips
Aug 31, 2023 • 48min
555. New Technologies Always Scare Us. Is A.I. Any Different?
Ajay Khotra, an AI risk expert at Open Philanthropy, and Simon Johnson, an MIT economics professor, delve into the societal fears surrounding artificial intelligence. They explore how historical anxieties about technology mirror current sentiments towards AI, discussing its potential to disrupt jobs and transform the economy. The duo emphasizes the need for responsible technology management, addressing the alignment challenge of AI with human intent, and advocating for inclusive decision-making to navigate the complex landscape of technological evolution.

25 snips
Sep 21, 2023 • 35min
What the Industrial Revolution Teaches Us About the AI Revolution
Simon Johnson, MIT economist and co-author of 'Power and Progress', discusses creating conditions for technological change to benefit many people. Explores impact of Industrial Revolution, compares it to AI revolution, and addresses challenges faced by tech founders. Examines link between technological progress and broadly shared prosperity, and discusses issues of inequality and automation.

14 snips
May 17, 2023 • 53min
Simon Johnson on Banking, Technology, and Prosperity
Simon Johnson, a British-American economist and MIT professor, dives into economic development and banking complexities. He discusses his co-authored book with Daron Acemoglu, arguing that prosperity requires intentional effort to steer technology's benefits away from elites. Topics include the risk of 'too big to fail' banks, the implications of AI on wages, and the historical misinterpretation of the Middle Ages. Johnson critiques UK trade dynamics and emphasizes the need for institutional reforms to help regions like northern England thrive.

7 snips
Jul 9, 2025 • 36min
Govt 1: Why Are Some Countries Rich and Some Countries Poor? (Institutions)
In this discussion, Simon Johnson, a professor at MIT Sloan specializing in political economy, unravels why some nations thrive while others struggle. He dives into the intricate relationship between government institutions and economic success, illustrating this with compelling stories from India, New York City, and Peru. Johnson emphasizes how regulations can either uplift or hinder economies, showcasing the stark contrasts between informal vendors in Jamaica and formal sellers in the U.S. His insights reveal the transformative power of inclusive institutions over extractive ones.

5 snips
May 17, 2023 • 47min
114 - Our 1000-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity with Simon Johnson
✨ Subscribe to the Green Pill Podcast ✨ https://pod.link/1609313639 🟢 Get the GreenPilled Book 🟢 https://greenpill.party/ Apple Show Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1609313639 Spotify Show Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/0l6aXWC94dd0RA3tkKfxjd ----- Do we get to choose the outcomes of our Technology? Joining the podcast today is Simon Johnson, former Chief Economist at the IMF and Professor of Entrepreneurship at the MIT. He recently co-authored Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity. A book that explores the history and economics of major technology developments. Simon shares his valuable advice on how the next generation can redirect technology away from Vision Oliigarchs in a Bottoms Up Fashion. Take the green pill anon. ------ SPONSOR PILLS: 👩 ATHENA DAO | ADVANCING WOMEN'S HEALTH https://bankless.cc/AthenaDAO ------ Topics Covered: 0:00 Intro 3:58 Technology Consequences 7:43 Coordination & Web3 13:06 Are we on the Right Track? 19:46 The Role of Decentralization 30:39 Advice for the Next Generation 37:18 Top Down vs. Bottomps Up 43:06 Closing Thoughts ------ Speakers: Simon on Twitter https://twitter.com/baselinescene Kevin on Twitter https://twitter.com/owocki ------ Resources: Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity https://www.amazon.com/Power-Progress-Thousand-Year-Technology-Prosperity/dp/1541702530 ----- Music by WABI SABI - snowflake - https://thmatc.co/?l=7786B012 ----- Not financial or tax advice. This channel is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. This video is not tax advice. Talk to your accountant. Do your own research. Disclosure. From time-to-time I may add links in this newsletter to products I use. I may receive commission if you make a purchase through one of these links. Additionally, the Bankless writers hold crypto assets. See our investment disclosures here: https://www.bankless.com/disclosures

4 snips
Oct 19, 2024 • 55min
BEST OF THE GIST: Nobel Prize Edition
Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson, both esteemed economists and co-authors of "Power and Progress," recently won the 2024 Nobel Prize for Economics. They discuss the complex relationship between technology and socio-economic progress, emphasizing the need for intentional policies to ensure fair worker benefits amidst automation. Their insights challenge techno-optimism and call for a shift in how we view labor dynamics in a rapidly changing landscape. They also reflect on history's lessons in balancing regulation with innovation for societal advancement.

May 19, 2023 • 58min
Week Three with guest Simon Johnson
In this episode of 'Strike Talk,' Billy Ray and Todd Garner continue their coverage of the WGA strike, and delve deeper into one facet of the negotiations: AI's intrusion into creative fields, and the potential consequences. To shed further light on the economic implications of the technology, the hosts welcome Simon Johnson, an esteemed professor, and expert in entrepreneurship from MIT.Theme Song: “Not Your Fool” written and performed by Alexa Villa; courtesy of Sign From The Universe Entertainment, LLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 29, 2023 • 1h
337. Navigating the Waves of Technology and Prosperity feat. Simon Johnson
Simon Johnson, MIT professor, discusses the impact of past technological disruptions and the current landscape of disruptive technology and AI. He explores the distribution of benefits, the effects on professions like accounting, challenges of finding skilled labor in urban areas, and the breakdown of post-war economic stability. Johnson also emphasizes the role of vision and political power, the tradeoff between profitability and social value for tech companies like Facebook, and the need to change business school curriculum to address inequality.

Mar 12, 2025 • 33min
S6 Ep10: Simon Johnson on geopolitics, AI, and the future of global development
Simon Johnson, a renowned MIT professor and Nobel laureate, discusses the transformative impact of AI on global development and the shifting geopolitical landscape. He examines how countries in the global south must adapt to deglobalization and the influence of major players like China and Russia. Johnson reflects on the role of international institutions like the IMF and World Bank amid rising global challenges. He also explores the urgent need for skills development in response to job automation and the unique power dynamics of tech entrepreneurs.