What will the world look like in 2026?

2025-11-05

Trillions of dollars are being poured into artificial intelligence. How does this compare to the booms (or bubbles) of the past? Our deputy editor, Tom Standage and our AI writer, Alex Hern ask whether investors’ big bet might make sense.

Chapters:
00:00 – Why is investment not slowing?
01:09 – Is just one company going to win?
02:51 – Will the AI bubble burst?
03:07 – What will be left if the boom goes bust?
06:18 – The role of open source models

Watch the full show: https://econ.st/3LKmxRP

What to expect if the AI stockmarket blows up: https://econ.st/3WIF8Aa

The battle of AI business models: https://econ.st/4nHFceB

Sign up to the Insider newsletter: https://econ.st/4nOyzIb

2025-11-03

China’s generous local subsidies have helped it dominate high-tech industries such as electric vehicles and solar panels. But they’ve also helped fuel an oversupply of the same goods and a vicious price war. This new phenomenon of “involution” is damaging the country’s economy, as The Economist’s China economics editor, Simon Cox, explains.

2025-11-01

What’s the point of handwriting? Lane Greene, our language correspondent, explains why writing trumps typing when trying to learn.

2025-10-28

Why does China want the war in Ukraine to continue? The EU’s top diplomat tells our geopolitics editor, David Rennie, that China is backing Russia’s war to keep America distracted.