Policy & the Economy
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robot waiter serves couple in restaurant
May 1, 2023

2 Factors Will Determine How Much AI Transforms Our Economy

They’ll also dictate how workers stand to fare.

A soybean seed led Brazilian farm workers to industrialized jobs.
April 21, 2023

Banning China from Owning U.S. Farmland Will Achieve Nothing

A new bipartisan bill would prohibit anyone associated with “foreign adversaries” like China from purchasing U.S. farmland. While protecting the U.S. food system and making farmland more affordable to domestic producers by limiting foreign ownership may seem plausible on paper, the reality is more complicated.

an older woman tweets and a flock of birds flies from her phone toward a person reading the tweet
April 10, 2023

Are People on Social Media Actually That Outraged?

One reason we think Twitter is such a polarized place: we’re bad at inferring how angry people are from their posts.

business power couple atop wedding cake
April 1, 2023

How Marriages Are Exacerbating Income Inequality

Marriage patterns can account for 40 percent of rising inequality, according to a new study.

Person reading giant book titled "Open Enrollment Choices"
February 2, 2023

Consumers Lose Out When Health Insurers Offer Lots of Plans

While extra choices are usually considered a good thing, insurers are able to use them strategically to maximize profits.

doctors offices in small nodules
February 1, 2023

Will AI Eventually Replace Doctors?

Maybe not entirely. But the doctor–patient relationship is likely to change dramatically.

inflatable dollar sign tied down with mountains in background
January 25, 2023

6 Takeaways on Inflation and the Economy Right Now

Are we headed into a recession? Kellogg’s Sergio Rebelo breaks down the latest trends.

a doctor speaks with a political reporter
January 21, 2023

Take 5: What We’ve Learned about Tackling Public-Health Crises

Covid-era research sheds light on how policymakers can guide the economy and the public through future emergencies.

People split at a fork in the road with road signs pointing to "What If?" in each direction
January 1, 2023

Partisanship Doesn’t Just Color Our View of Facts—It Alters How We Think about Hypotheticals

New research sheds light on how polarization can shape our counterfactual thinking.

December 23, 2022

Podcast: China’s Economy Is in Flux. Here’s What American Businesses Need to Know.

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: the end of “Zero Covid,” escalating geopolitical tensions, and China’s potentially irreplaceable role in the global supply chain.

The world wonders what caused the great recession.
December 22, 2022

What Do American Businesses Need to Understand about China Right Now?

As China’s zero-Covid policy ends, it’s time to take stock of where the world’s second largest economy may be headed.

A detective pulls back his computer screen to reveal code behind the video image.
December 22, 2022

In a World of Widespread Video Sharing, What’s Real and What’s Not?

A discussion with a video-authentication expert on what it takes to unearth “deepfakes.”

an accountant and a robot accountant wearing green visors work back-to-back at desks.
December 6, 2022

Which Workers Suffer Most When New Technology Arrives?

It’s not necessarily who you think.

employees unload pallets from a truck using hand carts
December 1, 2022

What Happens to Worker Productivity after a Minimum Wage Increase?

A pay raise boosts productivity for some—but the impact on the bottom line is more complicated.

person climbing a small ladder against a wall with longer ladders
December 1, 2022

How COVID Changed the Way Americans Think about Economic Inequality

For some, the pandemic laid bare the social factors that can keep people down. But not everyone adopted a new perspective.

people building a bridge, with blue bricks from the left side and red bricks from the right side
December 1, 2022

4 Science-Backed Strategies to Curb Partisan Animosity

Vilification of the other side is at a fever pitch. But research suggests ways to bridge the gap.

two people look out over a city
November 28, 2022

Post-War Reconstruction Is a Good Investment

Ukraine’s European neighbors will need to make a major financial commitment to help rebuild its economy after the war. Fortunately, as the legacy of the post–World War II Marshall Plan shows, investing in Ukraine’s future will also serve Europe’s own long-term interests.

two people playing chess
November 1, 2022

How Experts Make Complex Decisions

By studying 200 million chess moves, researchers shed light on what gives players an advantage—and what trips them up.

Voting machine in a spider web
October 28, 2022

Why Are So Many Politicians Embracing Conspiracy Theories?

Conspiratorial thinking has always been attractive in times of uncertainty—but it’s become more mainstream. An expert explains why, and whether anything can be done.

energy bill with solar panels wind turbines and pipelines
October 13, 2022

What the New Climate Bill Means for the U.S.—and the World

The Inflation Reduction Act won’t reverse inflation or halt climate change, but it’s still a big deal.

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The Insightful Leader

November 3, 2023  ·  10:51 minutes
October 30, 2023  ·  11:45 minutes