The Fed Hikes, Consumers Spend, & AI Doom Returns
Apple Podcasts 
Spotify The Fed is hiking again, bond yields are back above 5%, and inflation remains stubborn, but the economy and consumer continue to show surprising strength. Greg and Doug break down what the latest rate move means for markets, how the Iran conflict and massive infrastructure spending are pushing prices higher, and why retail sales and employment data don’t look particularly recessionary. Then they turn to AI, the latest warnings about its existential risks, and whether calls for tighter regulation are really about safety or established AI companies trying to protect themselves from competition.
Key Takeaways
00:17 — The Fed raises rates as inflation stays hot
04:13 — Infrastructure, Iran and what’s driving inflation
06:31 — Why Iran could be the key to markets and inflation
09:44 — The American consumer keeps spending
11:06 — AI isn’t destroying the job market
13:27 — Is AI really going to destroy humanity?
15:03 — AI regulation and the case for regulatory capture
17:11 — Putting AI doomsday fears in perspective
19:21 — Guardrails, cyber defense and managing AI risk
Links
Americans Without College Degrees Are Having One of the Best Job Markets in Years
The Anonymous Math Geek Who Quit Anthropic—and Became the Face of AI Safety
How a New Princeton Study Disproves AI Self-Improvement Alarmism
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