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

Platypus Economics on YouTube: youtube.com/@PlatypusEconomics

Justin 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: platypuseconomics.com

Justin’s University of Michigan Profile: fordschool.umich.edu/faculty/justin-wolfers

Justin’s X: x.com/JustinWolfers

Justin’s Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/justinwolfers.bsky.social

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00:00 Introduction
00:25 Elon Musk Can Buy ANY Election He Wants
07:21 AI Could DESTROY Jobs If We Don’t Do This
14:28 Is Current Econ Data Misleading?
19:36 Political Bias in Economics
28:35 Corruption in the Trump Admin
36:33 Understanding Inflation and Cheap Candy
44:58 Is Trump Personally Responsible for Inflation?
51:40 Trump’s 5k Checks Are IDIOTIC LIES
56:50 How to Vote If Trump Were on Ballot

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.