FT Alphachat

Robots, artificial intelligence and a sluggish shopping season

The Rise of the Robots author Martin Ford stops by to discuss his pessimistic outlook on the future of automation after winning the FT-McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award this week. Then, San Francisco correspondent Hannah Kuchler breaks down how Facebook is turning to user data to power its artificial intelligence products. Finally, US retail sales are lagging in advance of the critical holiday shopping season, even as total consumer spending grows. FT correspondents Lindsay Whipp and Eric Platt offer some explanations. Music: "Plain Loafer" by Kevin MacLeod. Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Alphachat is the conversational podcast about business and economics produced by the Financial Times in New York. Each week, FT hosts and guests delve into a new theme, with more wonkiness, humour and irreverence than you'll find anywhere else Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.