293 - Justin Wolfers: AI, Inflation, & The 2026 Elections

Platypus Economics on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PlatypusEconomicsJustin Wolfers is Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Michigan, where his research spans macroeconomics, labor economics, political economy, and behavioral economics. He is also affiliated with the Brookings Institution, Peterson Institute for International Economics, and National Bureau of Economic Research, and in 2026 launched Platypus Economics, a new media platform devoted to making economics accessible to a broad audience. In this episode, Robinson and Justin discuss the intersection of economics, technology, and American politics. More particularly, they talk about Elon Musk and the influence of extreme wealth on elections, how artificial intelligence could transform the labor market, whether current economic data accurately reflects Americans’ experiences, and political bias in economics. They also discuss inflation, Justin’s criticisms of the Trump administration’s economic policies, proposed $5,000 checks, and how economic considerations shape political choices.Platypus Economics: https://platypuseconomics.comJustin’s University of Michigan Profile: https://fordschool.umich.edu/faculty/justin-wolfersJustin’s X: https://x.com/JustinWolfersJustin’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/justinwolfers.bsky.socialPlatypus Economics Newsletter: https://newsletter.platypuseconomics.com00:00 Introduction00:25 Elon Musk Can Buy ANY Election He Wants07:21 AI Could DESTROY Jobs If We Don’t Do This14:28 Is Current Econ Data Misleading?19:36 Political Bias in Economics28:35 Corruption in the Trump Admin36:33 Understanding Inflation and Cheap Candy44:58 Is Trump Personally Responsible for Inflation?51:40 Trump’s 5k Checks Are IDIOTIC LIES56:50 How to Vote If Trump Were on BallotRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.