In this episode, host Steven Dubner interviews Gina Raimondo, former U.S. Commerce Secretary and now head of the nonprofit Raise Us. They explore how to implement AI without triggering massive job losses, learning from the China shock of the past. Raimondo advocates for a planned transition involving worker retraining, apprenticeships, and employer collaboration—all while preserving capitalism and democracy.
Summarized by Podsumo
60% of today's jobs did not exist in 1940, emphasizing the constant evolution of work due to technology.
Raimondo opposes UBI and job guarantees, advocating for market-driven solutions but wants to temper capitalism to prevent social unrest.
The China shock caused concentrated job losses and political dysfunction; Raimondo aims to avoid repeating those mistakes with AI.
Raise Us will pilot career navigation platforms, apprenticeships, and a year of service in four states, launched by Amazon, Microsoft, and Anthropic.
Critics call the plan a reputational buyout for AI firms; Raimondo insists it's a necessary collaboration for national stability.
"I think everything that we hate about our politics now, more divisive, more partisan, more violent, less rational... a lot of that stems from... worsening inequality or economic insecurity. — Gina Raimondo"
"The layoffs will come before the new jobs, and the folks who get laid off may or may not be the ones who get the new jobs. — Gina Raimondo"