Economist and polymath Tyler Cowen challenges Silicon Valley's optimistic projections about AI-driven economic growth. We explore what could slow AI's economic impact, despite its remarkable capabilities – and where humans find the new normal amidst major shifts.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Episode trailer

(01:47)  The problem with Silicon Valley's AI-driven growth projections

(06:02) The institutional bottleneck to AI progress

(10:49) Markets aren’t pricing in a radical AI future

(12:53) Are we heading for a great job displacement?

(17:02) Is GDP still worth talking about?

(19:11) Who does AI benefit most?

(21:11) Will AI cause a human identity crisis?

(27:11) The education system’s failure to adapt

(35:34) How the Gulf could become a geopolitical powerhouse

(39:10)  Could AI change religion?

(46:46)  Closing thoughts

Tyler's links:

Marginal Revolution Blog: https://marginalrevolution.com/

Twitter/X: https://x.com/tylercowen

Azeem's links:

Substack: https://www.exponentialview.co/

Website: https://www.azeemazhar.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azhar

Twitter/X: https://x.com/azeem

Our new show

This was originally recorded for "Friday with Azeem Azhar", a new show that takes place every Friday at 9am PT and 12pm ET. You can tune in through Exponential View on Substack.

Produced by supermix.io and EPIIPLUS1 LTD

Thomas Dohmke, CEO of GitHub, joins Azeem to explore how AI is fundamentally transforming software development. In this episode you'll hear:

• (01:50) What’s left for developers in the age of AI?
• (04:54) How GitHub Copilot unlocks flow state
• (07:09) Three big shifts in how engineers work today
• (10:47) Is software development art or assembly line?
• (15:26) Why developers are climbing the abstraction ladder
• (19:35) Have we already lost control of the code?
• (23:15) What it’s actually like to work with AI coding agents
• (39:35) Welcome to the age of ultra-personalized software
• (45:37) Building the next-generation web

Thomas's links:

• GitHub: https://github.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashtom/
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/ashtom

Azeem's links:

• Substack: https://www.exponentialview.co/
• Website: https://www.azeemazhar.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azhar
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/azeem

Our new show This was originally recorded for "Friday with Azeem Azhar", a new show that takes place every Friday at 9am PT and 12pm ET. You can tune in through Exponential View on Substack. Produced by supermix.io and EPIIPLUS1 Ltd

Aaron Levie, CEO & co-founder of Box, joins Azeem Azhar to explore how an “AI-first” mindset is reshaping every layer of Box – from product road-maps to pricing – and what that teaches the rest of us about building faster, smarter organisations.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Episode trailer

(02:04) The "lump of labor fallacy" in sci-fi books

(07:37) When individual productivity gains don’t translate to teams

(12:32) Box’s Friday AI demos

(21:23) How agents might redefine 100 years of management science

(26:37) A lesson on AI innovation from the early days of Ford

(29:52) Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, and Sergey Brin are coding again?

(35:16) Pricing in a post-AI agent world

(38:43) Cheaper tokens, heavier usage: AI’s margin math

(43:02) Solving AI’s verifiability problem

(48:24) How Aaron uses AI in his personal life

Aaron's links:

• Box: https://www.box.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boxaaron/
• X/Twitter: https://x.com/levie

Azeem’s links:

• Substack: https://www.exponentialview.co/
• Website: https://www.azeemazhar.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azhar
• X/Twitter: https://x.com/azeem

This conversation was recorded for “Friday with Azeem Azhar”, live every Friday at 9 am PT / 12 pm ET. Catch it via Exponential View on Substack.

Produced by supermix.io and EPIIPLUS1 Ltd