Noah Smith is a writer and Substack blogger behind Noahpinion, known for his contrarian, data-grounded takes on economics, technology, and geopolitics.What you'll learn:Why the viral Citrini "2028 Global Intelligence Crisis" post moved markets — and whether it should haveThe psychology behind why "AI causes 2008" scared Wall Street more than killer robotsWhy Noah thinks an AI-driven financial crisis is possible but unlikelyHow a productivity boom could paradoxically trigger a mild recession through "sticky prices"Why AI-enabled bioterrorism — not economic disruption — is Noah's biggest fearWhat Block's 4,000-person layoff and Mercury's hiring shifts reveal about AI's real impact on jobsWhy software job losses in 2023-24 may have been driven by uncertainty, not AI capabilityNoah's take on deflation, GDP growth, and where inflation goes from hereWhy intellectual humility has been Noah's biggest edge as a forecasterThe "dinosaur and the meteor" theory — why we're worrying about the economy while a much bigger threat flies overheadIn this episode, we cover:(00:00) The meteor meme — AI's real threat vs. the economy(01:07) Introduction to Noah Smith(02:14) What the Citrini post actually argued(04:30) Why markets missed Covid — and what that tells us about AI(06:17) Why Citrini moved markets: the power of pattern matching to 2008(07:51) Breaking down Citrini's financial crisis domino theory(08:38) Noah's verdict: possible but unlikely(11:04) Block lays off 4,000 — how does AI-driven unemployment play out macro?(17:42) How a productivity boom could cause a recession: sticky prices explained(19:46) Noah's real AI fear: vibe-coded bioweapons(24:55) Has bioterror surpassed China-Taiwan as Noah's top worry?(25:10) The economy today: inflation, deflation, and GDP(28:44) What Mercury's hiring strategy reveals about AI's effect on headcount(31:32) Why software job losses in 2023-24 may have been forward-looking uncertainty(34:38) The threat to blue collar jobs — are truck drivers next?(35:52) Why intellectual humility is Noah's competitive edge(39:26) The meteor meme closing: we created zombie gods for a 2.7% productivity boost