In this punchy episode of Roll The Boulder, we expose how AI stands poised to trigger a job market upheaval that makes previous automation waves look tame. Tracing the century-long tug-of-war between labor and capital, we uncover the roots of rampant inequality—and how AI could accelerate a slide toward “neo-feudal” power structures. From driverless trucks to AI-generated content, entire industries face mass disruption, while the ultra-wealthy quietly fortify themselves with bunkers and private security. Tune in to see why the next decade could be an inflection point, and how our collective response may spell liberation—or dystopia.

CITATIONS:

Autor, D., Katz, L., & Kearney, M. S. (2006). The polarization of the U.S. labor market. NBER Working Paper Series. https://doi.org/10.3386/w11986

Autor, D., Mindell, D., & Reynolds, E. (2021). AI and the changing job market. MIT Task Force on Work of the Future.

Bruun, E., & Duka, A. (2018). Artificial intelligence, jobs and the future of work. Basic Income Studies, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.1515/bis-2018-0012

Danso, B. W., & Eric, H. (2023). Artificial intelligence disruption and its impacts on future employment. i-manager’s Journal on Software Engineering.

Datta, Y. (2023). A framework for income, inheritance, and wealth tax in America amid increasing income inequality. Journal of Economics and Public Finance.

Gerlich, M. (2024). Brace for impact: Facing the AI revolution and geopolitical shifts in a future societal scenario for 2025–2040. Societies.

Gruetzemacher, R., Paradice, D., & Lee, K. (2020a). Forecasting extreme labor displacement: A survey of AI practitioners. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2020.120478

Gruetzemacher, R., Paradice, D., & Lee, K. (2020b). Forecasting extreme labor displacement: A survey of AI practitioners. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2020.120478

Karangutkar, A. A. (2023). The impact of artificial intelligence on job displacement. International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology.

Kiatpongsan, S., & Norton, M. (2014). How much (more) should CEOs make? A universal desire for more equal pay. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 9(6), 587–593. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691614549773

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In this episode, we delve into the tumultuous 20th century—the moment labor briefly triumphed, only to see its victories dismantled as corporate power roared back. From trust-busting and progressive reforms to the rise of unions and the birth of the middle class, we trace how shifting ideologies, automation, and soaring inequality set the stage for today’s precarious economy. And as we stand on the brink of an AI-driven era, we ask: did the 20th century’s unheeded lessons doom us all to repeat history?

SOURCES:

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In this episode, we journey from the collapse of Rome through the Gilded Age to uncover how every economic system—feudal, mercantile, industrial—has relied on human labor to keep the wheels turning. But what happens when today’s emerging AI and robotics mean the wealthy no longer need a workforce at all? By retracing the bloody births and brutal shifts of past economies—from peasant revolts to robber barons—we reveal a stark new reality: labor has always held some power because it was indispensable. If the elite can automate everything, that power collapses. Join us for a riveting crash course in history that sets the stage for a potentially dystopian near-future—and challenges you to imagine a world where the everyday worker is optional.

CITATIONS:

1. Paynter, R. (2012). Commentary on Gilded Ages, now and then. International Journal of Historical Archaeology, 16, 776–783.
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4. Orser, C. (2011). Beneath the surface of tenement life: The dialectics of race and poverty during America’s first Gilded Age. Historical Archaeology, 45, 151–165.
5. Campbell, B. C. (1999). Understanding economic change in the Gilded Age. OAH Magazine of History, 13(4), 16–20.
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9. Statista. (n.d.). Wealth distribution in the United States as of 2024. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/203961/wealth-distribution-for-the-us/