Make Me Smart

<p>Recently, Seattle’s tech workforce has been hit by wave after wave of layoffs. Some company execs say it’s AI’s fault. KUOW’s Monica Nickelsburg joins Kimberly on today’s show to share what she’s hearing from tech workers. And, we’ll get into another side of the AI boom: the push to build more data centers and the pushback from locals. Plus, a round of Seattle trivia!</p><br/><p>Here’s everything we talked about today:</p><br/><ul><li><a href="https://www.kuow.org/podcasts/booming">"Booming"</a> from KUOW</li><li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/why-seattle-tech-companies-are-still-laying-off-workers/">Why Seattle tech companies are still laying off workers</a> from The Seattle Times</li><li><a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/from-coder-to-shuttle-driver-where-seattle-s-laid-off-tech-workforce-is-now">"From coder to shuttle driver: Where Seattle's laid off tech workforce is now"</a> from KUOW</li><li><a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/a-small-town-in-central-washington-is-microsoft-s-answer-to-the-data-center-backlash">"A small town in Central Washington is Microsoft's answer to the data center backlash"</a> from KUOW</li><li><a href="https://pikeplacemarketfoundation.org/2023/10/05/food-access-trivia">"What produce prompted the creation of the Market?"</a> from the Pike Place Market Foundation</li><li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/seattle-doesnt-have-many-unicorns-does-it-matter/">"Seattle doesn't have many unicorns. Does it matter?"</a> From GeekWire</li><li><a href="https://www.seattlemet.com/news-and-city-life/2017/10/scents-from-a-mall-the-sticky-untold-story-of-cinnabon">"Scents from a Mall: The Sticky, Untold Story of Cinnabon"</a> from Seattle Met</li><li><a href="https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/world-cup-generate-million-seattle">"Seattle area expected to generate $845 million from FIFA World Cup"</a> from Fox 13 Seattle</li></ul><br/><br/><p>We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email <strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]" class="interallink">[email protected]</a></strong>.</p>

<p>Will AI take my job? On today’s show, Anthropic’s head of economics Peter McCrory sits down with Kimberly to answer our burning questions about artificial intelligence’s effects on the labor market. We’ll get into what Anthropic’s research shows about how people are using the company’s chatbot Claude and what that could mean for the future of the global economy. </p><br/><p>Here’s everything we talked about today:</p><br/><ul><li><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/15/snap-stock-layoffs-16-percent-workforce.html">"Snap's stock jumps on plans to axe 16% of its workforce citing AI efficiencies"</a> from CNBC</li><li><a href="https://www.anthropic.com/research/economic-index-march-2026-report">"Anthropic Economic Index report: Learning curves"</a> from Anthropic</li><li><a href="https://www.anthropic.com/research/labor-market-impacts">"Labor market impacts of AI: A new measure and early evidence"</a> from Anthropic </li><li><a href="https://www.anthropic.com/research/anthropic-economic-index-september-2025-report">"Anthropic Economic Index report: Uneven geographic and enterprise AI adoption"</a> from Anthropic </li><li><a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/05/28/ai-jobs-white-collar-unemployment-anthropic">"Behind the Curtain: A white-collar bloodbath"</a> from Axios</li><li><a href="http://anthropic.com/research/estimating-productivity-gains">"Estimating AI productivity gains from Claude conversations"</a> from Anthropic</li><li><a href="https://www.anthropic.com/features/81k-interviews">"What 81,000 people want from AI"</a> from Anthropic</li></ul><br/><br/><p>We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email <strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]" class="interallink">[email protected]</a></strong>.</p>

<p>In her book “The Second Estate,” Boston College Law School professor Ray Madoff argues that the tax code in the United States lets billionaires keep their wealth outside of the tax system, leaving the heaviest burden to lower- and middle-income, working Americans. On today’s show, Madoff joins Kimberly to explain the “tax avoidance playbook” and why Congress has let certain loopholes go unclosed for decades. Plus, why a wealth tax may not be the simple solution you think it is.</p>

<p>Nearly 600 Marketplace fans gathered at the Aratani Theatre in downtown Los Angeles to watch Kai Ryssdal present Marketplace Live, in partnership with LAist.</p><br/><p>Kai was joined onstage by economics author, educator, and content creator Kyla Scanlon to talk about AI, prediction markets, Federal Reserve independence, and the war in Iran. Later, former “Marketplace Morning Report” host David Brancaccio joined Kai to discuss his experience rebuilding after the LA fire and his new job as Marketplace senior correspondent covering future effects.</p><br/><p>Note: This show was recorded on March 29, and the situation in Iran has changed since then. <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/world-international/war-in-the-middle-east">Follow our latest coverage here.</a></p>

<p>A lot of sci-fi is dystopian. Solarpunk flips that on its head. The subgenre imagines a brighter future where humans have fostered a better relationship with technology, the environment, and each other, in spite of climate disaster. On today’s show, writer and academic Phoebe Wagner joins Kimberly to make us smart about solarpunk, its connection to the green energy transition, and why you should check it out if you want to shake off climate doom.</p><br/><p>Here’s everything we talked about today:</p><br/><ul><li><a href="https://solarpunkmagazine.com/solarpunk-a-container-for-more-fertile-futures-jay-springett/">"Solarpunk: A Container for More Fertile Futures"</a> from Solarpunk Magazine</li><li><a href="https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2026/02/solarpunk-sci-fi-books-literary-genres-climate-change-optimism-technology/">"Tired of Dystopian Sci-Fi? You Might Like Solarpunk."</a> from Mother Jones</li><li><a href="https://blog.hydroponictrash.solar/">"Sunshine and Seedlings"</a> from Hydroponic Trash</li><li><a href="https://www.tractorbeam.earth/">"Underground"</a> from Tractor Beam</li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS-sJQkr0H4" class="default">Chobani ad on YouTube</a></li></ul><br/><br/><p>We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email <strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]" class="interallink">[email protected]</a></strong>.</p>