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If/ThenAuthor: Stanford GSB
How do we lead with purpose, make better decisions, and navigate an uncertain future? On If/Then, Stanford GSB faculty break down cutting-edge research on leadership, strategy, and more, exploring enduring questions and the forces reshaping business and society today, from AI to geopolitics. Hosted by senior editor Kevin Cool. Language: en Genres: Business, Management, Science, Social Sciences Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Our AI Future: From Abundance to Apocalypse
Episode 53
Wednesday, 10 June, 2026
Chad Jones, a professor of economics at Stanford Graduate School of Business, recently published a paper, “AI and Our Economic Future.” Using more than 100 years of economic data, he modelled several potential AI-infused economic futures we may experience. These include the good (abundance, we never work again), the not-so-bad (business more or less as usual), and the ugly (a superintelligence that turns on us, among other catastrophic options). Cheery stuff, Jones acknowledges, but essential to face.“I think the ability for an AI to do everything on a computer that the best software engineer can do, that seems like it’s either here now or will be here within five years easily,” Jones says. “Hacking the electric grid, hacking the financial system, these kinds of scenarios are things that we definitely have to worry about. The good news is, I think if we get through that, the ability of AI to transform the economy for good, it is really there and present. And, that would be a very great and bright future.”Related Content:Chad Jones faculty profileWhat’s the Price Tag for Preventing an AI Apocalypse?At What Point Do We Decide AI’s Risks Outweigh Its Promise? Chapters:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:32 The difference between now & previous periods of innovation00:02:29 Two scenarios for AI-driven growth00:06:18 The case for business-as-usual00:11:06 Weak links and the limits of automation00:17:53 What the models are showing about growth00:19:58 The economics of abundance00:25:29 The weak-link model’s timing & possible adaptations00:27:51 Who gains in an AI economy?00:29:55 Catastrophic risk and the downside of acceleration00:34:31 The downsides of the weak link model00:36:38 Meaning, identity, and human value00:39:55 Leisure in a post-work world00:41:43 What the next generation may inherit00:44:07 ConclusionIf/Then, from Stanford GSB, features conversations with faculty that explore how their research deepens our understanding of business and leadership.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
