A lot of full-time jobs in the modern economy simply don't pay a living wage. And even those jobs may be obliterated by new technologies. What's to be done so that financially vulnerable people aren't just crushed? It may finally be time for an idea that economists have promoted for decades.
Sep 11
686. Why Is It So Hard to Find an NFL Quarterback?
For decades, teams have tried (and mostly failed) to predict which college quarterbacks will thrive in the pros. Is the science finally catching up? Stephen Dubner speaks with a scout, a psychologist, a data warrior, and a Hall of Fame quarterback who nobody wanted. SOURCES:Scott ... Show More
58m 20s
Sep 4
685. How to Survive the A.I. Shock
Gina Raimondo, a former commerce secretary and governor, thinks A.I. will create plenty of jobs in the long run. She also thinks a poorly managed transition could tear the country apart. So she came up with a plan. SOURCES:Gina Raimondo, co-chair and C.E.O. of RAISE US. RESOURCES ... Show More
57m 37s
Sep 2025
What Happens When Capitalism Doesn't Need Workers Anymore?
Imagine a world where AI outsmarts you at work—scary, right? From the Philippines to the US, AI is changing the economic landscape, increasing the GDP of rich nations (5.4% in the US) while putting millions of jobs at risk in developing countries. Will machines leave you behind, ... Show More
15m 29s
Dec 2021
There Still Aren’t Enough “Good Jobs”
Companies around the world are struggling to fill open positions, while millions of unemployed people look for work. What's going on? Zeynep Ton, professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management, says that organizations need to start offering better jobs. While old-school manageme ... Show More
27m 5s
Aug 2024
The case for good jobs — and why they're good for business too | Zeynep Ton
Many of the jobs that keep the world running — like cleaning bathrooms, picking up trash, caring for the elderly — pay so poorly that workers can barely make ends meet. Nonprofit leader Zeynep Ton is intent on changing that, showing why everyone wins when companies pay their peop ... Show More
15m 9s
Oct 2023
The tech we need to fight workplace ageism | Piyachart Phiromswad
From exoskeletons and robotic arms to the mass adoption of remote work, economist Piyachart Phiromswad explores what seniors need to overcome the physical, mental and societal barriers to employment, a necessary shift in our rapidly aging world. Learn more about how these tools c ... Show More
10m 22s
Oct 2024
Will the end of economic growth come by design — or disaster? | Gaya Herrington
What if solving poverty, caring for nature and fostering well-being were the ultimate goals of the economy, instead of growth for its own sake? Environmentalist and economist Gaya Herrington proposes a shift in thinking from "never enough" to "enough for each," asking us to conte ... Show More
13m 23s
Nov 2024
Labour's Economic Conundrum
William Davies joins Tom to assess the efforts of the new Labour government in tackling the UK's many economic challenges. They consider whether Rachel Reeves’s first budget, with its substantial tax rises, can do anything more than arrest the decline of the public finances, and ... Show More
55m 19s