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Richard Murphy: The AI Bubble is a Prelude to a Much Bigger Economic Collapse

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Episode Summary

I had the great pleasure of chatting with the renowned British political economist, chartered accountant, and campaigner known for his work on tax justice and “Funding the Future,” Richard Murphy.

While our discussion targeted the AI bubble, it was centred around the wider economic collapse, which is closely linked.

Our conversation was a deep dive into the complexities of neoliberalism and the future of global economics in 2026. Richard kicked things off by highlighting how the AI bubble is not just an isolated phenomenon but part of a broader economic narrative. He described the neoliberalism bubble.

He drew parallels between the current state of AI investments and historical economic patterns, suggesting that we might be on the brink of significant change. One of the key insights Richard shared was about AI’s economic impact. He pointed out that while AI is generating buzz, its economic returns are not matching the massive investments.

This discrepancy could signal an impending crash. We also discussed how neoliberal policies have shaped the current economic landscape and the AI approach pushed by Silicon Valley, often prioritising profit over people.

Richard emphasised the need for a shift towards more sustainable and equitable economic models. It’s an energetic conversation that will open your eyes to the post-AI economics. Join the conversation now!

Key Takeaways

(YouTube Timestamps)
  • 00:00:00 – Preview
  • 00:02:35 – How being a twin shaped Richard’s journey in political economics and campaigns
  • 00:10:22 – Ad to help you navigate media bias
  • 00:12:29 – Tim and Richard explore why one becomes interested in economic equality and the politics of care
  • 00:20:22 – What people don’t get about economics and the problem with profit maximisation models
  • 00:23:38 – How did the damaging neoliberalism model take over the global economy and give rise to today’s tech broligarchy, and its impact on the AI bubble
  • 00:37:40 – Why do people become ideologically attached to illogical and self-damaging economic narratives?
  • 00:43:46 – The absurdly illogical narrative of growing the economy with loss-making AI services while destroying millions of jobs, and pushing for UBI while expecting lower taxation!
  • 00:49:53 – Today, the AI bubble and Trump are completely linked and the clearest evidence that neoliberalism has run out of ideas. It’s now a neoliberalism bubble.

Our Favourite Quote from This Episode

I’m not interested in pure theory. I’m interested in reality. I’m interested in how we make the world a better place. I’m interested in politics, as I call it, politics of care.

About our Guest

Richard Murphy

The CEO Retort Guest Profile: Professor Richard Murphy.

Richard J. Murphy is a prominent British political economist, chartered accountant, and campaigner known for his work on tax justice and “Funding the Future.”

Richard is a highly active commentator, blogging daily at Funding the Future and on his YouTube channel, which has seen significant growth, reaching over 325,000 subscribers and 30 million views by the end of 2025.

He is currently Emeritus Professor of Accounting Practice at the University of Sheffield Management School. He retired from formal employment at the university on February 28, 2025, but continues his academic associations and research in this lifetime honorary role.

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