What if the AI boom never turns a profit?
Summary
Marketplace Tech explores how AI could disrupt the economy and tax systems, drawing parallels to Akron’s decline after radial tires replaced bias-ply models. Correspondent David Brancaccio examines the potential loss of labor-based tax revenue as AI replaces human workers. Experts discuss alternative funding strategies, such as taxing AI tokens or corporate profits, to sustain public services amid this technological shift.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: Aura data protection service
Intro: AI's potential economic disruption
Akron's history: How radial tires changed the city
Sponsor: Tomorrow is Cure podcast
Sponsor: Odo business software
Barberton's decline and AI's potential impact
Economic risks of reduced labor income
Taxing AI: The token tax proposal
Challenges with token taxes and on-device AI
Public investment funds and AI profitability
Joseph Stiglitz: Tax corporations instead
Outro and Capital One AI deployment
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