Economist Podcasts

Next top model: GPT-5 and its AI rivals

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A look at progress in generative AI shows that OpenAI’s latest, greatest model sits on a neat curve of growing utility over time. But what other fir...

The summit of its parts: Ukraine, Trump and Putin

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is on the table for the meeting in Alaska? What are the red lines? What chance Ukraine would accept what is agreed, especially if its president i...

Not all’s fair: Israel and accountability

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We take an expansive look at how much the Israeli justice system is holding its war machine to account. The results are so far unpromising. The idea, ...

Duty regime: America’s consumers will foot the tariff bill

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As yet another tranche of Donald Trump’s tariffs takes effect, we look at why the duties might outlast him—and how American consumers will ultimat...

Unsteady state: Somalia in disarray

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The country had been on the rise: beating back jihadists, strengthening its federal structure and gaining international stature. That has all reversed...

Consultant management: McKinsey loses its shine

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The world’s biggest strategy consultant has smaller rivals nipping at its heels. As it nears 100 years old, we ask how it will navigate a tricky AI-...

Degrees of freedom? Harvard’s shakedown dilemma

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump’s mission to bend higher education to his will maintains its sharpest focus on Harvard. Will the venerable university settle—and shou...

State swing: recognising Palestine

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The aims of France, Britain and Canada in recognising a Palestinian state are laudable—but now is not the time to deploy what little leverage they h...

Luxe run out? LVMH

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, to use its proper name, is led by Bernard Arnault, who is credited with creating today’s luxury industry. Can ...

Heavy meddle: Trump and Brazil

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump’s animus towards his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is best seen as solidarity with Jair Bolsonaro, another...

Pause for little effect: a trickle of aid in Gaza

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Localised “tactical pauses” in Gaza relieve international pressure on Israel more than they relieve the pressure of starvation on Gazans. We ask h...

EU gotta know when to hold ‘em: America’s latest trade deal

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The European Union will swallow 15% tariffs in exchange for promises to buy American. We examine the accord and ask what will stick. The English regio...

Xiaomi the way: a Chinese tech giant gets bigger

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The smartphone giant is now making strong inroads in the electric-vehicle market. But can its boss’s belovedness at home translate to success abroad...

Anti-anti-corruption? A bill in Ukraine sparks protests

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new bill threatening the independence of anti-corruption agencies has brought Ukrainians onto the streets and rattled international observers. Londo...

The smaller C: progress in beating cancer

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Overall, more people are dying from cancer. But a closer look at the numbers reveals just how much success modern medicine has had at making the disea...

Hawks v talks: barriers to peace in Gaza

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Even as Western countries band together to condemn Israel’s actions, aid remains at a trickle and the war is expanding into a central-Gazan city. We...

Land of the rising shun? Immigration and Japan’s politics

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Liberal Democratic Party, which has dominated the country’s politics for seven decades, just got a pasting at the polls—again. We ask why stai...

The ships are down: Houthis resume strikes

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Once again, commercial vessels sailing in the Red Sea are being attacked. Our correspondent explains why Houthi rebels, an Iranian-backed militia in Y...

Gown and out: are British universities broke?

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

UK universities are internationally renowned, but their finances are in a mess. Our correspondent offers a lesson in how to fix them. Why an amateur f...

The bomb (part 1): were nuclear weapons inevitable?

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Where did the world’s most devastating weapon come from? In a four-part series, we go behind the scenes at America's nuclear laboratories to underst...

Internet dating: will AI kill the web?

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The business model of the internet is built on people visiting sites to find out information. As Artificial Intelligence changes how we navigate the w...

Kyiv reprieve: Trump loses patience with Putin

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For months, Donald Trump has appeared to back Vladimir Putin. Now, frustrated at the lack of a ceasefire and fed up with Russia, the US president is o...

Old-school Thai: is another coup coming?

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After Thailand’s constitutional court suspended the country’s prime minister, our correspondent explains the need for fresh elections to avoid eco...

The Weekend Intelligence: The hunt for Austin Tice

12 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On December 8th, 2024, rebels swept into Damascus and ousted Syria's dictator, Bashar al-Assad. One of the first things they did was open up the priso...

At your services: Britain’s economic bright spot

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Growth is abysmal; wages are low. But seen from the outside, Britain is a great place to contract services and buy bargain-basement bonds. We explore ...

Migration roots: the broken asylum system

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Immigration is a political lightning rod in part because the ageing global asylum pact is no longer fit for purpose. We examine how best to update it....

Sprawl of duty: Trump’s tariff drama

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Once again President Donald Trump extended the deadline for spine-stiffening tariffs to go into effect on trading partners. We look at the effects of ...

The French reconnection: Macron in Britain

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Anglo-French relations have not been so good since before the Brexit vote. Beneath the state-visit pageantry, though, there is much co-operation for P...

Trump card: can he broker a Gaza deal?

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While Israel and Hamas officials discuss a ceasefire via mediators in Qatar, a key meeting will take place at the White House today, when Israel’s p...

Oh Keir! Labour’s torrid first year

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a landslide victory and promises for radical renewal, Britain’s Labour government is failing in policy and popularity. Our correspondents expl...

Hard-core business: valuing OnlyFans

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

OnlyFans transformed the online porn industry by making users subscribe for adult content. Now it is rumoured to be up for sale: who might buy it? As ...

Bill baby bill: Trump’s landmark legislation

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Donald Trump’s landmark legislation narrowly passes the Senate, our correspondent analyses the long-term political and economic consequences. Why...

Hard cell: Aung San Suu Kyi at 80

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

She was once the great hope for Myanmar. Though Aung San Suu Kyi fell from grace – and now sits in jail – she still has much support. How LifeWise...

Truce believers: Rwanda and Congo’s fragile deal

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After decades of conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, last week Donald Trump brokered a truce in the Oval Office. Our corresp...

Going gang-buster: we meet Ecuador’s president

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Yesterday’s arrest of a notorious gang leader is a win for Daniel Noboa. He assures our journalists he can beat back rampant transnational gangs wit...

Not-deciding factor: Iran’s supreme leader

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We examine the path of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, once a bookish cleric underrated by everyone—including himself. He has hung on to power perhaps in pa...

Stayed in China: a domestic-brand boom

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Western brands used to define cool and luxurious in China. No longer. Now consumers are turning to homegrown brands, some of which are becoming global...

Truce and consequences: a fragile ceasefire in Iran

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Iran’s strikes both before and apparently after a ceasefire began seem to threaten peace. If it holds, what will that mean for Iran’s ambitions, a...

Company profile: Corning

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The picturesque town of Corning in upstate New York doesn’t look like the site of bleeding-edge innovation. But inventions by a 174-year-old glass c...

No good options: how Iran will respond

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After America’s strikes intended to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme, one question is whether they succeeded. Another is how Iran will respond; al...

Hurry up and wait: Trump’s choice on Iran

20 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The most consequential decision of Donald Trump’s presidency is now on pause for two weeks. We examine how the choice pits two sides of Mr Trump aga...

I’d like not to thank the academy: graduates’ fortunes slip

19 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The workplace wisdom that a university degree is a sure-fire key to success is very much in question—and the trend started long before AI began eati...

A house divided against itself: America simmers

18 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Political assassinations. Troops on city streets. National protests. We examine the edgy mood inside America through the lens of past periods of inten...

Confused unity: the mood in Iran

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A sudden war made Iran’s leaders look unprepared. And many Iranians loathe the regime. But there are no signs yet that internal dissent will shape t...

Bunkers unbusted: Israel and Iran

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

So far, Israel’s strikes have not accomplished the stated mission of crippling Iran’s nuclear programme. A war of endurance will be decided by whi...

Lone raider: Israel bombs Iran

13 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After Israel launches an all-out assault on Iran without clear US backing, our correspondent explains how the conflict could escalate. The Trump admin...

Same news story: why Murdoch endures

12 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The all-famous Murdoch clan is engaged in a fierce battle over control of the family’s media companies. Our correspondent explains why turmoil at th...

Golden girls: do parents prefer them?

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For centuries, male children were prized as heirs and breadwinners. Now the desire to have boys is diminishing and some parents would rather have a gi...

Core blimey: what’s up at Apple?

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It brought us the iPhone–and changed the world. Now Apple is struggling to keep up with rapid advances in AI. Our correspondent assesses its future....

California screaming: National Guard in LA

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our correspondent reports from LA, where Donald Trump’s decision to send in troops risks inciting further antagonism. The argument is now about far ...

Billion dollar babies: Trump-Musk spat

06 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when the world’s most powerful man falls out with its richest? Our correspondent analyses where the Trump-Musk brawl leaves the relatio...

Count their losses: Russia casualties hit 1m

05 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the number of Russian dead and injured in Ukraine reaches a grim milestone, what do these losses signify about Vladimir Putin’s strategy? Though ...

He’s got Seoul: South Korea’s new leader

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The election of South Korea’s new president represents a resounding rejection of the political turmoil that preceded the campaign. Our correspondent...

Apocalypse soon? Britain ups its defence

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Britain, alongside other European countries, faces rising threats to its security. But a bold new strategy to bolster its defence forces risks being u...

Poles apart: hard right wins by a sliver

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Poland’s presidential election was a fight between two distinct visions of the country’s future. Our correspondent explains how the nationalist vi...

No major food groups: aid chaos in Gaza

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A newly formed, private foundation took charge of aid distribution in the territory; a melee ensued. What is the group’s origin, and what is its pla...

Duties bound: a Trump-tariff smackdown

29 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The US Court of International Trade ruled that Donald Trump’s so-called fentanyl and Liberation Day tariffs constituted executive overreach. Now wha...

Ivy beleaguer: Harvard hung out to dry

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration’s determination to bend higher-education institutions to its will seems to know no bounds—and nowhere is getting it worse...

Soldiers’ fortune: Ukraine’s prisoner swap

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

No one knows which soldiers will be on the buses; many families simply come in hope. As the wider war grinds on, our correspondent witnesses a mix of ...

Perverting the course of justices: Mexico’s judiciary

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Voters will be electing each and every one of the country’s judges—removing the last meaningful check on Morena, the ruling party. Nigeria has mor...

Get rich, quick: Vietnam’s next revolution

23 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The country’s leader is in a mad rush to transform his country into an upper-middle-income powerhouse before geopolitical forces stall its rise. Ame...

Suspicious mines: Putin-proofing the Baltics

22 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia know their borders may be the next front for Russian aggression. They do not want to deploy mines and razor wire—but t...

Worse even than it seems: Gaza’s death toll

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A careful study of a range of data sources suggests that Israel’s military actions in Gaza have resulted in far more deaths than published tallies i...

Islands in the scheme: a Britain-EU deal

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A “reset” with the bloc is merely a first step in maintaining relations. We ask what is in this week’s deal. Millennials and Gen Z get all the m...

May-poll dance: Poland’s presidential race

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rafal Trzaskowski, the liberal mayor expected to win the first round cleanly only squeaked by. We ask what’s at stake in the NATO-front-line country...

Boss Class: Innovation: Coming up with new ideas

17 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Forget the hammocks and ping-pong tables. Creativity takes work. Managers at Google, Lego and a pair of AI startups share advice on breaking through. ...

Bucharest pressed: Ukraine’s election effect

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Negotiations in Turkey to bring peace to Ukraine could be a flop. But the repercussions of shifting alliances with Russia will play out in this weeken...

Drug war: Trump takes on big pharma

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Drugs in America often cost more than three times as much as those elsewhere. But Donald Trump’s plan to cut prescription costs and impose tariffs m...

All talk, no sanctions: Trump lifts Syria embargo

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Donald Trump removes bans on trade with Syria and meets its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, our correspondent analyses the implications. Two feuding politi...

Hunger strikes: Agony in Gaza as Israel blocks aid

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A ceasefire becomes ever more urgent in Gaza as Israel expands military operations and obstructs aid. As Donald Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia, the reg...

Meet the boss: Liz Reid of Google

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For Season 2, we’re releasing an extended interview alongside each episode. This week: Who needs search engines when chatbots can answer every query...

Innovation: Coming up with new ideas

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Forget the hammocks and ping-pong tables. Creativity takes work. Managers at Google, Lego and a pair of AI startups share advice on breaking through.T...

Duty falls: US and China reach a deal

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tariffs against China were the centrepiece of Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” trade plans. Our correspondent explains the significance of a new ...

Holy smoke! An American pope

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The choice of Robert Prevost reflects a desire for unity and compromise. But insofar as Pope Leo XIV represents a middle path, how will he lead on the...

Identity parades: our VE-Day special

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Eighty years since the surrender of Nazi forces, we consider the differing ways that nations frame that distant history for today; none does so more g...

Neighbour-rattling: India strikes Pakistan

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Two weeks after a terrorist attack in Kashmir, Indian missiles streaked into Pakistan. Will the retaliation end this latest flare-up or intensify it? ...

Trailer: Boss Class Season 2

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here ...

First not past the post: Germany’s chancellor shocker

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In a post-war first, Germany’s round of parliamentary voting for a chancellor did not produce one. We ask why members of Friedrich Merz’s coalitio...

Trailer: Boss Class Season 2

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here ...

People vilify plastic. they should use it better instead

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many people view plastic as an environmental disaster that blights landscapes and chokes marine life. Our correspondent argues that instead we need to...

Trailer: Boss Class Season 2

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here ...

Aussie rules: give Trumpism the boot

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Australia’s Conservative party was on the ascent until Donald Trump took office in January. At the polls this weekend, the dominant concern is who w...

Trailer: Boss Class Season 2

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here ...

Mine craft: US-Ukraine resource deal

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

America and Ukraine have signed a deal to share the profits of extracting natural resources. Our correspondent explains its significance. How the trad...

Herman Pontzer: what people get wrong about metabolism

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you run, cycle or swim to lose weight? Herman Pontzer, an evolutionary anthropologist who specialises in understanding how humans use energy, think...

Trailer: Boss Class Season 2

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here ...

Executive disorder: Trump’s first 100 days

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Since Donald Trump took office, there has been a deluge of news. Our correspondent considers what might happen next. Fifty years on from the fall of S...

Trailer: Boss Class Season 2

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here ...

The Carney army: Canada unites against Trump

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Canada’s election campaign was dominated by Donald Trump’s threats against the nation. Now the Liberal party has won, it faces a tougher fight: co...

Interview: Tracey Franklin

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tracey Franklin, chief human resources officer at vaccine and biotech company Moderna, tells The Economist's Andrew Palmer what turbocharged growth ta...

Interview: Daniel Kahneman

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The careers of many CEOs are built on overconfidence and a few lucky breaks. But to be a successful leader, Daniel Kahneman suggests maintaining a hea...

Interview: Claire Hughes Johnson

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Economist's Andrew Palmer asks Claire Hughes Johnson, former COO of Stripe and author of "Scaling People", about her systems and strategies for go...

Interview: Emma Walmsley

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 2017 Emma Walmsley became the most powerful woman in corporate Britain. The boss of the drugmaker GSK says leadership is about clearly communicatin...

Interview: Reid Hoffman

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On the cover of his latest book, Impromptu: Amplifying Our Humanity Through AI, Reid Hoffman credits GPT-4 as a co-author. The tech investor tells our...

Managing yourself: Human factors

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Economist’s Andrew Palmer seeks advice on managing your cognitive load, your career path and the changes that generative AI could bring. He gets...

Incentivising: Into the upside down

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Economist's Andrew Palmer asks how companies motivate employees to do their best work. He hears from Patty McCord, Netflix’s former head of HR, ...

Meetings: The clown car

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if all the meetings in your calendar disappeared overnight? Tia Silas, Chief HR Officer of Shopify, an e-commerce firm, tells Andrew Palmer what ...

Teamwork: Inside the yellow line

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Taavet Hinrikus, the co-founder of Wise, one of the world’s biggest fintech firms, gives advice on forming and running teams. Andrew Palmer learns t...

Recruitment: Testing, testing

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It is the most important decision a manager can make. How do you increase your chances of hiring the right people? Tracey Franklin, Moderna's human-re...

Trailer: Boss Class Season 2

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here ...