Why AI might not replace us after all

Most Americans fear that AI is about to cause widespread job losses, so Matt Yglesias and Jerusalem Demsas brought in their first-ever guest, Timothy B. Lee of the Understanding AI newsletter, to break it all down. Matt thinks a white-collar wipeout is coming. Jerusalem and Tim think we've got enough time to adapt.Plus, a peer review on a new paper about the effects of mixed-use zoning. (00:00) Our first guest: Tim Lee on AI and jobs(02:27) Matt's case for the white-collar wipeout(05:43) Jobs are bundles of tasks(08:26) The O-ring theory: why one human still matters(18:02) Tim's answer: it's all about timescales(21:27) Chess, Starbucks, and the human preference problem(24:28) The protectionism scramble: gas pumps and self-driving trucks(30:47) The "canaries in the coal mine" study on young workers(38:45) Channeling 2015 Matt: just run a hotter economy(49:30) Peer review: What's actually wrong with zoning?Support the Show: Get a full transcript, show notes, and an ad-free version: TheArgumentMag.com New episodes every Thursday—subscribe so you never miss a debate!The Argument is produced by Justin Zuckerman, fact-checked by Eli Richman, with music by Breakmaster Cylinder and art by Ben Tousley.