AI isn't just answering questions anymore—it's doing real work that used to take humans hours, days, or even weeks. In this wide-ranging conversation, returning guest Dean Ball, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, breaks down the massive leaps in AI since mid-2024: smarter models with true reasoning, web-searching research agents, and revolutionary coding agents that control your computer via command line to automate complex tasks.

We cover:

- Why AI has gone from "toy" to essential tool for professionals
- The rise of coding agents (Claude Code, OpenAI tools) and real-world examples
- Why so many skeptics—especially on the American right—are still skeptical (and why they're likely to get left behind)
- Data center backlash, NIMBYism, energy/water concerns, and how AI companies could win more community support
- Dean's experience drafting the Trump administration's AI action plan at the White House OSTP
- Practical tips: Go "AI-first" in your workflow (skip Google, use Claude/Grok, integrate agents)

Whether you're an AI user, skeptic, policymaker, or just curious about where this tech is headed in 2026, this episode is a reality check on what's actually working today.

CHAPTERS
(00:00 Introduction)
(00:44 How Far AI Has Come Since 2024)
(02:35 Smarter Models + Better Reasoning)
(03:14 From Google Search to Real Research Reports)
(03:56 Coding Agents: The New Form Factor Revolution)
(05:49 Aaron's AI-First Workflow (Claude, Grok, Voice Prompting))
(07:46 Real Example: Building a Manosphere Podcast Transcription Tool)
(10:15 AI for Work vs. Chat/Fun – Doing Useful Stuff)
(12:20 Feedback on Writing, Refining Ideas, Not Great at Pure Idea Gen)
(13:45 Addressing AI Skepticism (Right & Left))
(16:40 Ignorance, Cultural Animosity, & Boycotts)
(18:30 Josh Hawley Example & Early Impressions)
(23:00 Data Centers: NIMBY Fights, Energy, Taxes, & Community Buy-In)
(30:00 Trump's AI Action Plan – What It Covers & Why)
(35:00 National Security, Cyber Risks, & Prudent Steps)
(42:00 Dean's White House Experience & Using AI to Help Draft)
(51:00 AI Is Like a Piano – Easy to Start, Hard to Master)

DEAN BALL LINKS:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/deanwball
🌐 Dean Ball's Substack: https://www.hyperdimensional.co/

CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn
🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this episode, historian Dr. Albert Thompson joins Aaron Renn for a deep, honest discussion on race in America—from its English colonial roots through slavery, the Civil War, Jim Crow, civil rights victories, and today's challenges. They explore how history shapes identity, why progress has been real yet uneven, the impact of WWII on black human capital, post-1960s cultural shifts, talent migration, networks, and why national unity is essential for America's future in a competitive world.

CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Introduction
4:10 - America's English Origins and the Slow Establishment of Slavery
9:50 - Founding Fathers, Contradictions, and the Devil's Bargain of Race Over Religion
14:30 - The Civil War: Nationalism, Union, and the Destruction of Slavery
20:45 - Post-Civil War Reinvention: Republican Dominance, Jim Crow, and Northern/Southern Divide
28:00 - 20th Century Shifts: Great Migration, Depression, and WWII as a Turning Point
35:15 - Civil Rights in the 1960s: Successes Amid Cultural Upheaval and the "Great Awokening"
42:20 - Talent, Networks, Migration, and Building Human Capital in Black Communities
50:30 - Rethinking DEI, Seeking Untapped Talent, and Why Unity Matters to Compete Globally
55:00 - Addressing Real Problems as Fellow Citizens

DR. ALBERT THOMPSON LINKS:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/IronProfessor
🌐 Dr. Thompson's Substack: https://www.albertrussellthompson.com/

CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn
🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this insightful conversation, host Aaron M. Renn sits with Jeff Giesea, Stanford grad, entrepreneur, and founder of the Boyd Institute—a policy lab focused on bold solutions for America's future, tackling gerontocracy, overregulation, AI, and social fragmentation.

They dive deep into the structural challenges facing the country: the Boomer Paradox (how older generations are both holding society together and holding it back), the rise of gerontocracy and its impact on young Americans, the transformative power of AI as democracy's best hope, America's declining state capacity and overregulation, and the urgent need to shift from performative culture-war politics to real problem-solving.

Whether you're concerned about housing, fiscal policy, technological disruption, or national renewal, this episode offers thoughtful, heterodox perspectives on building a flourishing post-Boomer America.

CHAPTERS:
(00:00 - Introduction)
(00:42 - The Big Issues America Ignores)
(02:28 - Gerontocracy: The Real Demographic Crisis)
(03:10 - Who Advocates for Young Americans?)
(05:34 - The Boomer Paradox: Holding Us Back and Together)
(07:13 - The Long Boomer Farewell & Interregnum Ahead)
(09:11 - Boomer Influence in Politics & Policy)
(10:14 - Property Taxes, Housing, and Robbing the Future)
(13:01 - Boomer Caregiving & Political Wreckage)
(15:58 - Local Impacts: Schools, NIMBYism, and Driving Laws)
(17:03 - Overregulation & Lost State Capacity)
(31:05 - Public Sector Competence & Private Sector Dynamism)
(32:44 - AI as Democracy's Best Hope for Renewal)
(34:04 - Why Democracies Struggle & How AI Can Help)
(35:15 - America's Unique Challenges vs. Other Countries)
(37:37 - Wanting Competent Government That Delivers)
(39:36 - Enemies of Progress: Regulation, Unions, Fragmentation)
(41:04 - Emerging Consensus on Reform & Building)
(43:46 - Shifting from Performative Politics to Real Solutions)
(45:21 - How to Approach Politics)

JEFF GIESEA LINKS:
🌐 The Boyd Institute: https://boydinstitute.org/
🌐 The Boomer Reckoning No One's Ready For: https://jeffgiesea.substack.com/p/post-boomer-world
🌐 Boomer Caregiving Will Wreck Our Politics: https://jeffgiesea.substack.com/p/boomer-caregiving
🌐 The Long Boomer Farewell: https://jeffgiesea.substack.com/p/long-boomer-farewell
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/jeffgiesea

CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn
🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this eye-opening conversation, Aaron sits down with economic historian Chris Bream, author of Beyond Steel: Pittsburgh and the Economics of Transformation to unpack one of the most dramatic industrial collapses in American history — and what it reveals about the future of cities, regions, and the country.

Pittsburgh went from being the steel capital of the world to losing hundreds of thousands of jobs and people in just a few brutal years in the early 1980s. Chris explains why the collapse was so sudden and so total, how generations of warnings were ignored, and how Pittsburgh eventually began to rebuild around talent, education, and knowledge industries.

This is far more than local history — it’s a powerful case study in economic denial, disruptive change, identity tied to work, and what successful regional adaptation actually looks like in the 21st century.

CHAPTERS:
(0:00 Introduction)
(0:59 Why Pittsburgh became the steel capital of the world )
(3:24 Geography, coal, rivers, and Andrew Carnegie’s real role )
(5:18 How steel came to dominate and displace every other industry) 
(7:54 Steel wasn’t just jobs — it became Pittsburgh’s entire identity )
(10:03 The shocking speed of the 1980s collapse — what really happened )
(13:21 Paul Volcker, 21% interest rates, and the Rust Belt reckoning )
(15:21 Warnings ignored for decades: reports from the 1940s, 1960s, and earlier)
(19:24 Why temporary booms kept postponing the inevitable day of reckoning )
(23:27 Denial, hubris, and the human cost of believing “it will never end” )
(27:14 How Pittsburgh actually recovered — the real story )
(29:47 The roots of the knowledge economy go back decades before the crash )
(31:20 Lessons for the rest of America: what declining regions can, and can’t, do )
(33:52 Rethinking success in places that won’t grow anymore )

CHRIS BRIEM LINKS:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/chrisbriem
📖 Beyond Steel: https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Steel-Pittsburgh-Economics-Transformation/dp/1606355023/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20

CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn
🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this eye-opening conversation, Ohio businessman Justin Powell joins Aaron Renn to discuss his viral article “Dying to Give” — why waiting until death to pass on wealth is often the wrong move, and how thoughtful, early giving can build stronger families, businesses, and communities.

Justin shares powerful real-life stories: a multi-generation gravel pit owner who’s deliberately preserving two generations of reserves for his sons instead of chasing short-term profits, how he set his teenage boys up with $3,000 each to start lawn-mowing businesses (one made $35K in a summer), and why small, strategic investments at key “choke points” (home down payments, first business capital, financial literacy) can change the trajectory of a young person’s life forever.

Together they explore:
- The massive $85 trillion wealth transfer happening over the next 20 years
- Why asset ownership (homes, businesses, land) is becoming harder — and more important — than ever
- How parents and grandparents can give wisely without spoiling kids
- Balancing prudence (longevity, healthcare risks) with bold generosity and trust in God’s provision
- Real examples of leverage points where $5K–$20K today creates massive long-term impact

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, business owner, or young person trying to get on the ownership ladder, this episode challenges the default “you’ll get it when I die” mindset and offers a better way forward.

Read Justin's entire "Dying to Give" article: https://www.aaronrenn.com/p/dying-to-give

CHAPTERS
(0:00 Introduction)
(1:26 The gravel pit family story: preserving two generations of reserves)
(4:41 Setting kids up early — $3K investment → $35K summer earnings)
(7:06 The mindset shift: prepare them now, not just at death)
(9:06 The $85 trillion wealth transfer wave)
(10:53 Upper-class family subsidies vs. the ownership ladder struggle)
(13:24 Choke points: down payments, first businesses, college debt)
(16:00 Timing matters — home equity winners vs. renters)
(19:00 Wisdom over coercion: guiding adult children with small gifts)
(21:52 Billionaire’s car test & financial literacy approach)
(23:51 Prudence vs. catastrophe planning: when to give boldly)
(26:58 Time, talent, and treasure — character over cash)

In this episode I sit down with Tanner Greer, one of America's most insightful public intellectuals. We dive deep into his recent American Affairs article, "The Making of a Techno-Nationalist Elite" — a sharp review of Palantir CEO Alex Karp's book "The Technological Republic." Greer contrasts today's Silicon Valley tech elite with the Gilded Age industrialists and Eastern Establishment who led America's second industrial revolution - railroads, steel, electricity, modern corporations - and built a modernized nation. He argues that tech leaders must step up as a true governing class — with economic power, political coalitions, and cultural vision — to build a "techno-nationalist" America that serves the nation, not just consumer gadgets or globalist ideals.

We explore why Karp's call for Silicon Valley patriotism falls short, the lessons from history's successful elites (like building alliances beyond their own class), and what it would take for tech to become a patriotic, nation-building force in the age of AI, China rivalry, and hard tech resurgence. Whether you're in tech, politics, or just care about America's future, this is a must-listen on power, elites, and rebuilding national ambition.

CHAPTERS
(0:00 - Introduction)
(2:45 - Overview of Tanner's American Affairs article & Alex Karp's book)
(6:30 - Why Silicon Valley needs to embrace nation-building (and why many resist))
(12:10 - The Second Industrial Revolution: How America became the technological republic)
(18:40 - Pre-Civil War vs. post-Civil War elites — sectional to national vision)
(25:15 - Rise of the modern corporation, railroads, and managerial class)
(32:00 - The Eastern Establishment's generational mindset & political coalitions)
(40:20 - Critiquing Karp's The Technological Republic — scattered ideas, no real vision)
(48:50 - Silicon Valley's shift from libertarian/globalist to techno-nationalist awareness)
(55:30 - Comparing tech elites to antebellum planters — a wake-up call?)
(1:02:45 - Hard tech, defense startups, and re-industrialization potential)
(1:10:20 - Building a true governing elite: Economic base, politics, culture)
(1:18:00 - Advice for Silicon Valley: Heritage, responsibility, and connecting to America)

TANNER GREER LINKS:
🌐 The Making of a Techo-Nationalist Elite: https://americanaffairsjournal.org/2025/11/the-making-of-a-techno-nationalist-elite/
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/Scholars_Stage/
🌐 The Scholar's Stage: https://scholars-stage.org/

CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn
🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this return appearance on the podcast, demographer Lyman Stone joins Aaron Renn to discuss the latest global fertility and marriage trends as of 2026. While U.S. birth rates and marriage rates have shown relative stability at low levels, the picture elsewhere is far bleaker—sharp declines in East Asia and Eastern Europe, with South Korea hitting historic lows.

They explore the long-term consequences: aging societies, loss of dynamism, military vulnerabilities, and whether the United States could emerge as demographic "last man standing" in a world of collapsing birth rates. The conversation covers housing affordability, young men's declining economic prospects, marriage penalties in public policy, ineffective pronatalist interventions, and why cash incentives do work—but at a steep price. Stone also critiques "billionaire baby fetishes," calls for fixing marriage disincentives, and highlights practical ideas like family-friendly airports and better child tax credit design.

CHAPTERS
(00:00 – Introduction)
(00:25 – What’s changed in fertility/marriage trends recently?)
(02:19 – U.S. stability vs. global plunges (Eastern Europe, East Asia))
(04:05 – Underlying drivers aren’t reversing: gender polarization, young men’s economic status, housing)
(07:18 – Long-term implications: from military staffing crises to loss of community dynamism)
(09:51 – Why declining population feels bad even when GDP rises)
(13:48 – Aging societies, boomer interests, and anti-family tax policies)
(17:49 – Do cash incentives work? Yes—but expensive)
(21:30 – Immigration and AI as supposed fixes (and why they fall short))
(23:41 – America as potential “last man standing” in a century)
(27:12 – Rising elite fertility and the K-shaped economy’s impact on family formation)
(35:51 – Economic shifts delaying peak earnings and complicating mate selection)
(38:05 – Pronatalism: intact families matter, fixing marriage penalties, child tax credit reform)
(46:12 – Corporate interests, stay-at-home parents, and policy failures)
(49:43 – Critique of billionaire “sperm spamming” and surrogacy tourism)

LYMAN STONE LINKS:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/lymanstoneky

CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn
🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

Aaron Renn welcomes back Daniel Hess, one of the sharpest analysts of global fertility trends, for a deep dive into why birth rates are collapsing—and why the divide is increasingly political.They discuss:

- The growing fertility gap between red states (near replacement) and blue states (deeply sub-replacement)
- How marriage is becoming even more important for births in the era of perfect birth control
- The rise of a genuine pro-natal culture on the political right
- Why high-density YIMBY-style housing often hurts family formation
- The forgotten role of suburban sprawl in fueling the Baby Boom
- Rising material expectations and status competition squeezing young families
- Billionaire fertility extremes and the shifting debate around IVF/surrogacy

If we want a growing future, we need more births. This episode unpacks the cultural, economic, and policy roadblocks—and what might actually move the needle

Chapters:
(00:00 - Intro & Global Fertility Collapse)
(01:11 - The New Political Divide on Kids)
(05:30 - Marriage Matters More Than Ever)
(09:20 - Pronatal Culture Emerging on the Right)
(11:40 - Why Israel Is the Only High-Fertility Developed Nation)
(14:50 - Housing: The Real Barrier for Families)
(22:20 - YIMBY vs. Family-Friendly Building)
(28:50 - Suburbia & the Baby Boom Lesson)
(36:30 - Materialism and the Rising "Cost" of Kids)
(43:35 - Billionaires, IVF, and Fertility Tech Debates)

DANIEL HESS LINKS:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/morebirths
🌐 Dan Hess Substack: https://www.morebirths.com/

CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn
🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this episode, Aaron welcomes men’s style influencer O.W. Root for a deep dive into the dramatic decline of men's dress over the past 30 years. From the universal suit-wearing era of the 1990s to today's pajama pants in public, they explore how tech culture, Silicon Valley, and the shift to digital life contributed to the rise of "slob culture." Root shares why classic menswear is fun, dignified, and accessible—even on a budget via eBay thrifts—and offers practical advice for any man wanting to dress better without looking out of place.

CHAPTERS
(00:00 - Introduction)
(00:55 - How Men's Dress Has Changed in the Last 30 Years)
(02:53 - What Caused the Slide Toward Informality?)
(05:07 - The Dot-Com Era and Tech's Role in Killing the Suit)
(08:24 - Digital Life vs. Real World: Why Physical Appearance Declined)
(11:55 - The Great Male Renunciation and the Suit as Uniform)
(16:49 - Why Politicians and Media Now Dress So Boringly)
(18:20 - Classic Style Is Fun: Patterns, Colors, and Joy in Dressing)
(22:52 - Practical Implications: Manners, Dignity, and Arrested Development)
(30:20 - How O.W. Root Got Into Classic Menswear)
(31:57 - Learning Menswear in the Internet Era (Ask Andy, Style Forum))
(34:05 - How to Start Dressing Better Without Looking Like a Freak)
(39:34 - eBay Thrifts, Affordable Classics, and Realistic Advice)
(44:32 - Final Thoughts: Dress Better for More Enjoyment in Life)

O. W. ROOT LINKS:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/owroot
🌐 The Fitting Room: https://necktiesalvage.substack.com/
🌐 Michigan Enjoyer: https://enjoyer.com/

CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn
🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this episode, Aaron welcomes real estate developer Bobby Fijan to discuss one of the most overlooked crises in American urban life: the dramatic decline of children in major cities. Once filled with kids playing in the streets, neighborhoods in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and beyond are now increasingly childless. Bobby and Aaron explore the causes—from Richard Florida’s influential “creative class” vision that reshaped city priorities, to financial incentives driving developers to build studios and one-bedrooms instead of family-sized apartments, to skyrocketing private-school costs and the loss of family-friendly infrastructure.They also examine why this matters: cities are engines of opportunity and culture, but forcing ambitious young people to choose between career growth and starting a family is a societal failure.

Bobby shares his vision for “baby maybe” housing, practical ways to make cities welcoming for young families again, and why a biblical image of elderly people watching children play in the streets should inspire modern urban planning. The conversation ends with a provocative look at how cities have become extraordinarily dog-friendly—at the expense of being kid-friendly.If you care about the future of America’s greatest cities, this is a must-listen.

CHAPTERS
(00:00 - Intro & Welcome Bobby Fijan)
(00:55 - The Collapse of Children in Big Cities)
(03:17 - Why Kids Disappear After Age 5 (And Now Even Younger))
(04:31 - Richard Florida and the Rise of the Creative Class)
(07:13 - How Cities Catered to Young Singles—and Forgot Families)
(10:55 - The Insane Cost of Private Schools in Cities)
(12:47 - Decline of Catholic/Parochial Schools)
(14:22 - Why Childless Cities Matter)
(17:48 - Economic & Cultural Hubs Need Families Too)
(19:45 - Texas Cities vs. Legacy East Coast Cities)
(23:35 - Why We Keep Building Studios & One-Bedrooms)
(26:23 - Financialization of Housing & Developer Incentives)
(28:28 - Introducing “Baby Maybe” Housing)
(31:29 - How to Fix the System (Fair Housing, Subsidies, Vision))
(36:36 - Dogs, Kids, and the Future of Urban Life)
(46:47 - Closing Thoughts)

BOBBY FIJAN LINKS:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/bobbyfijan

CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn
🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
📖 Richard Florida: The Rise of the Creative Class: https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Creative-Class-Richard-Florida-ebook/dp/B07M77X5ZQ/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20