AI, economics, economic history, the Industrial Revolution, automation, jobs, innovation, and the future of work are at the heart of the inaugural episode of History of the Future. Jonathan Hofer and Caleb Petitt explore what history can teach us about AI. Looking at past technological revolutions, from the Industrial Revolution to the internet, they unpack why AI may be more familiar than it seems.
The conversation examines how technological change reshapes labor markets, why fears of job displacement often overlook the creation of new opportunities, and what the “Engels’ pause” reveals about short-term disruption and long-term prosperity.
Jonathan and Caleb also discuss the role of AI data centers in driving innovation, how AI could disproportionately benefit lower-skilled workers, and the challenges of regulating emerging technologies. It’s a timely, historically grounded look at one of the most important economic transformations of our time.
