Booming
A weekly podcast about the economic forces shaping our lives here in the Pacific Northwest.
The Seattle area's been home to many booms over the years. It’s brought jobs, people, and wealth to the region, but also real growing pains that people here feel every day. In Booming, KUOW economy reporters Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg help listeners make sense of our ever-changing economy. We'll dig into what people are seeing or feeling and unpack the story behind it.
Cover art by Alicia Villa.
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Episodes
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Is AI fueling a trade school boom?
When it comes to the white-collar workforce, warning signals are blinking red. That uncertainty has more kids going blue collar -- trade schools are booming.
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9 families, 1 roof: Urban cohousing in Seattle
Seattle’s housing scene is defined by high prices and shrinking apartments, leaving many people feeling both financially squeezed and socially disconnected. Cohousing offers an alternative.
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Nine families, one roof: Urban cohousing in Seattle
A growing number of people are building a different kind of housing to get the benefit of more space without the added cost. It’s called co-housing, where people come together with friends and strangers to live in modest apartments with more shared spaces -- all designed from scratch.
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Babies aren't booming. Is that a problem?
It costs a lot to raise a family here. So what does it mean for Seattle’s economy if people can’t afford to have kids?
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Can AI really cure cancer?
In the debate over how fast we should be embracing artificial intelligence, one thing comes up again and again. The claim from tech CEOs that AI can cure cancer. So can it?
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Game over or next level? The generative AI debate in video game creation
Electronic Arts, the video game company that sold for $55 billion this month, has said it's investing heavily in generative AI. Many video game players in areas like Seattle are concerned this trend could put their favorite game developers out of work.
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Does AI mean game over for video game developers?
Generative AI has created a cultural conflict so deep, it's sliced the video game industry in two -- like a battle axe through a rotten zombie.
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The cleanup crew mopping up AI slop
It turns out, handing the keyboard over to a robot can end up costing more time and money than hiring a human to do that work.
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Inside Amazon's surprising settlement
The long-awaited trial between Amazon and the FTC is over... after just a few days. Joshua and Monica sat down to talk about what they heard during the hearings and why they think Amazon might have settled the case so soon.
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'Dark patterns' and the case against Amazon
What are dark patterns? And how could a crack down on them change how we experience the internet?
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College sports generate millions each year. Who should profit?
Whether it's multimillion-dollar endorsement deals or just enough money to cover lunch every day, money from ads and social media endorsements is changing the game for college athletes.
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Who should profit from college sports?
A court settlement this summer determined that students have a right to make money from sports. But for the first time, universities will be the ones to pay them.