What can a group of machine-smashing craftsmen from 1800s England teach us about AI, data centers, and the chip trade? More than you'd think.

We brought in Jacob Goldstein — host of Business History Pod and What's Your Problem, and author of Money: The True Story of a Made Up Thing — to dig into what the Luddites actually got right, and what that means for where we are today.

The Luddites were skilled workers who saw automation coming and fought back. They weren't wrong about what was coming — they were just early. The Industrial Revolution eventually lifted everyone, but that long run took nearly 40 years.

We dig into the parallels that matter:

Job displacement and political backlash

Government intervention and regulatory capture

The commodification of tech

Why software might be having its own "Ford assembly line" moment

AI agents as the new factory workers

Plus: the SaaS apocalypse, AI slop, and the one-person unicorn.

Guest: Jacob Goldstein

Business History Pod: youtube.com/@BusinessHistoryPod

Suggest an episode: businesshistory@pushkin.com

Semiconductor Insider (Discord + deeper analysis): chipstockinvestor.com/pricing

Fiscal.ai 15% discount: fiscal.ai/csi

Free Newsletter: mailchi.mp/b1228c12f284/sign-up-landing-page-short-form

Content is for general information and entertainment only — not individual investment advice. All investing involves risk.