Simon Johnson: Nobel Prize Conversations

In this episode of Nobel Prize Conversations, Adam Smith interviews Simon Johnson, a recipient of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Johnson discusses his work on institutions and their impact on prosperity, emphasizing the importance of historical context and inclusive decision-making in technological development, particularly in AI. He shares anecdotes from his experience in Stockholm, his love for science fiction as a tool for envisioning future societal changes, and his concerns about the potential for AI to exacerbate inequality. Johnson also reflects on his family history, the shift of technological leadership to the United States, and the responsibilities that come with it, while expressing worries about current trends in science and policy.