Freakonomics Radio
It may just be being human. Stephen Dubner interviews A.I. performer Tilly Norwood to find out if we are as replaceable as we fear. (Part two of a two-part series.)
- SOURCES:
- Sean Astin, actor, president of SAG-AFTRA.
- Kevin Kelly, co-founder of Wired.
- Ethan Mollick, associate professor of management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
- Tilly Norwood, A.I. performer.
- Eline Van der Velden, founder and C.E.O. of Particle6.
- Joel Waldfogel, economist at the University of Minnesota.
- RESOURCES:
- “Quiet, My Exoself,” by Kevin Kelly (KK, 2026).
- “How Large Language Models Are Reshaping the Book Market,” by Imke Reimers and Joel Waldfogel (NBER, 2026).
- “Intellectual Property and Creative Machines,” by Gaétan De Rassenfosse, Adam B. Jaffe, and Joel Waldfogel (NBER, 2024).
- Digital Renaissance: What Data and Economics Tell Us About the Future of Popular Culture, by Joel Waldfogel (2018).
- “The Random Long Tail and the Golden Age of Television,” by Joel Waldfogel (Innovation Policy and the Economy, 2017).
- “Quality Predictability and the Welfare Benefits From New Products: Evidence From the Digitization of Recorded Music,” by Luis Aguiar and Joel Waldfogel (NBER, 2016).
- “Copyright Protection, Technological Change, and the Quality of New Products: Evidence from Recorded Music since Napster,” by Joel Waldfogel (NBER, 2011).
- EXTRAS:
- “How to Survive the A.I. Shock,” by Freakonomics Radio (2026).
- “Should A.I. Move to Space?,” by Freakonomics Radio (2026).
- “Are Thousands of Medical Cures Hiding in Plain Sight?,” by Freakonomics Radio (2026).
- “Can A.I. Save Your Life?,” by Freakonomics Radio (2026).
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
-
656. How Handel Got His Mojo Back
When he wrote Messiah (in 24 days), Handel was past his prime and nearly broke. One night in Dublin changed all that. (Part two of “Making Messiah.”) SOURCES: Charles King, political scientist at Georgetown…
-
655. “The Greatest Piece of Participatory Art Ever Created”
Why does an 18th-century Christian oratorio lend such comfort to our own turbulent times? Stephen Dubner sets out for Dublin to tell the story of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah. (Part one of “Making Messiah.”) …
-
Dying Is Easy. Retail Is Hard. (Update)
Macy’s wants to recapture its glorious past. The author of the Wimpy Kid books wants to rebuild his dilapidated hometown. We just want to listen in. (Part two of a two-part series, first published in…
-
Is Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Its Most Valuable Asset? (Update)
The iconic department store calls the parade its “gift to the nation.” With 30 million TV viewers, it’s also a big moneymaker — at least we think it is: when it comes to parade economics, Macy’s is…
-
654. Is the Public Ready for Private Equity?
A Trump executive order is giving retail investors more access to private markets. Is that a golden opportunity — or fool’s gold? SOURCES: Elisabeth de Fontenay, professor of law at Duke University. Steven Kaplan,…
-
653. Does Horse Racing Have a Future?
Thoroughbred auction prices keep setting records. But tracks are closing, gambling revenues are falling, and the sport is increasingly reliant on subsidies. Is that the kind of long shot anybody wants? (Part three of a…
-
What Happens When You Turn 20
The world has changed a good bit since Freakonomics was first published. In this live anniversary episode, Stephen Dubner tells Geoff Bennett of PBS NewsHour everything he has learned since then. Happy birthday, Freakonomics. …
-
652. Inside the Horse-Industrial Complex
How does Kentucky keep itself atop the thoroughbred industry? Is a champion stallion really worth $200,000 per date? And how many hands can one jockey have? (Part two of a series, “The Horse Is Us.”)…
-
651. The Ultimate Dance Partner
For most of human history, horsepower made the world go. Then came the machines. So why are there still seven million horses in America? (Part one of a series, “The Horse Is Us.”) SOURCES:…
-
Are Two C.E.O.s Better Than One? (Update)
Spotify, Oracle, and Comcast have each recently announced they’re going with co-C.E.O.s. In this 2023 episode, we dig into the research and hear firsthand stories of triumph and disaster. Also: lessons from computer programmers, Simon…