Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Is AI Already Stealing Jobs From Young People? New Stanford Research Suggests Yes

2025-09-04

The debate rages on: is AI impacting young people's job prospects? Initial studies found limited impact, but new research from Stanford University, using ADP payroll data, reveals a 13% decline in employment for 22-25 year olds in highly AI-exposed jobs like software development and customer service. Controlling for factors like COVID and the tech downturn, the study suggests AI's effect might be more significant than previously thought, particularly in automation-heavy fields. Conversely, employment rose in AI-augmentation roles. This sparks discussion on curriculum adjustments and career paths for students, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring of AI's real-time impact on the labor market.

(www.derekthompson.org)

AI young workers

US Population Could Shrink for the First Time Ever: The Unintended Consequence of Trump's Immigration Policies?

2025-09-02

The US population may shrink for the first time in its history in 2025, not due to war or plague, but potentially due to Trump's strict immigration policies. Data from the Pew Research Center shows a drop of over one million in the foreign-born population in the first half of the year. This, combined with the birth-death rate differential, could lead to population decline. This decline will have profound economic impacts, including labor shortages, rising food prices, housing shortages, and strain on the healthcare system. Additionally, a shrinking population will exacerbate fiscal pressures on Social Security and Medicare. The article explores the potential political and economic consequences of this demographic shift and potential future policy adjustments.

(www.derekthompson.org)

Tech

Speed, Anxiety, and the Echoes of 1910 in the 21st Century

2025-08-11

This article explores the unsettling parallels between the anxieties of the early 20th century, marked by rapid technological advancements (automobiles, airplanes, bicycles), and the challenges facing our own time. Drawing from Philipp Blom's 'The Vertigo Years,' it recounts the pervasive anxiety and mental strain resulting from the accelerated pace of life, and how artists responded through their work. From the widespread prevalence of neurasthenia to the birth of abstract art, the author argues that modernism wasn't simply a reflection of modernity, but a reaction to it. The piece delves into the contrasting yet complementary theories of Max Weber and Sigmund Freud, offering sociological and psychological perspectives on the roots of this anxiety. It ultimately prompts reflection on the relationship between technological progress and human nature: is technological advancement the ultimate expression of our humanity, or its ultimate threat?

(www.derekthompson.org)

Tech Modern Art

The AI Economy: A Bifurcated US?

2025-08-08

The US economy is split: a booming AI economy versus a sluggish consumer economy. AI-related companies have driven stock market growth, fueled by massive investments in infrastructure by tech giants – perhaps the biggest tech project since the 1960s. While the productivity boost from AI is debated, its rapid adoption is undeniable, particularly in information services and management. The long-term effects remain uncertain, but AI's impact on the US economy and job market is already evident.

(www.derekthompson.org)

Tech AI economy

The Collapse of the Antitrust Case: Investigating the Dallas Housing Market

2025-08-01

This article investigates claims that the Dallas housing market is monopolized by large homebuilders. By contacting economists and industry analysts quoted in a prominent article making this claim, the author reveals that the arguments are based on misinterpretations, distortions, and a lack of evidence. Research shows Dallas's homebuilder market concentration is far below the threshold for problematic levels, and per capita new home construction has steadily increased. The author challenges the simplistic linkage of market concentration to rising housing prices and argues that overly aggressive accusations against large builders could harm long-term housing construction.

(www.derekthompson.org)

Tech