One of the key questions swirling around economics circles is the effect artificial intelligence will have — or perhaps is already having — on the job market. While most tales of “AI automation” are anecdotal at best, preliminary data appears to show at least some level of job market disruption for young workers in fields vulnerable to the current capabilities of AI software. In short, AI automation is a huge grey area caught between hyped up tech PR on the one hand and an objectively dismal job market on the other. It’s a situation which could lead to a dreaded “stagflation” crisis, which would arguably be far worse for workers than AI currently is. The Fed finally issued a small rate cut just days ago after a tumultuous summer, though the question remains whether more are to come, when they might arrive, and what effect Powell’s AI anxiety will have on those decisions.