Preparing for an AI tax crisis

If artificial intelligence really does replace human labor, the U.S. could be in for a tax revenue crisis. That’s because high unemployment shrinks the pool of taxable wages. In this episode, we visit Akron, Ohio — the former tire capital of the world — to learn what happens when lost jobs snowball into lost government funding. Plus: Economists hope for cake but will settle for crumbs in Fed Chair Warsh’s Jackson Hole Symposium speech, and a new plan for Colorado River drought management draws backlash.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe (marketplace.org/newsletters) to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment (marketplace.org/make-a-smart-investment) in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Will Fed Chair Warsh actually say anything in his big Friday speech? (marketplace.org/story/2026/08/25/will-fed-chai…)
• Two years after Hurricane Helene, Asheville Tea Company finds a new home
• What Akron's rubber bust can teach us about a possible AI tax crisis (marketplace.org/story/2026/08/25/linking-akron…)
• The new Colorado River plan is out, and it's already under fire