Economist Arpit Gupta joins Aaron to break down the future of American cities after remote work, office real estate collapse, and the rise of AI.

From the “Urban Doom Loop” — where falling commercial property values crush city tax revenue and trigger a vicious spiral — to surging suburban housing prices, office-to-residential conversions, and the transformative potential of autonomous vehicles, this conversation covers the biggest forces reshaping urban America.

Will AI supercharge white-collar job growth and rescue downtowns, or accelerate the displacement of routine office work? Are superstar cities like New York and San Francisco pulling ahead while second-tier cities struggle? And how will self-driving cars radically expand commuting patterns and city sprawl?

CHAPTERS:
(00:00 – Introduction & The Urban Doom Loop Explained)
(03:20 – Post-COVID Office Market Recovery (or Lack Thereof))
(07:45 – Why Housing Prices Are Soaring While Offices Collapse)
(12:10 – Remote Work’s Lasting Impact on City Centers)
(15:30 – AI’s Dual Effect on White-Collar Jobs & Office Demand)
(22:40 – Can Tourism or “Playground Cities” Replace Commerce?)
(26:15 – Agglomeration Effects in the Age of Zoom & AI)
(31:40 – Advice for Young People Entering the Job Market)
(36:50 – The Game-Changer: Autonomous Vehicles & the Future of Sprawl)
(43:20 – Will Most Cities Decline or Adapt?)

ARPIT GUPTA LINKS:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/arpitrage
🌐 Arpit Gupta's NYU Homepage: https://www.stern.nyu.edu/faculty/bio/arpit-gupta

CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:
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