{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/d556eb54-6160-4c85-95f4-47d9f5216c49/645e0b1ed83e7600112b1484?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Suck in the middle: the hole in America’s consumer base","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/62e286a934d4d93d6587424a/show-cover.jpg?height=200","description":"<p>The past few years have proved tumultuous both for American consumers and for retailers selling to them. The end result is a <a href=\"https://www.economist.com/business/2023/05/02/the-business-trend-that-unites-walmart-and-tiffany-and-co?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">curious slump</a> for middle-of-the-road brands. Artificial intelligence like ChatGPT stands to disrupt everything from art to coding; we self-interestedly explore probable effects <a href=\"https://www.economist.com/business/2023/05/04/artificial-intelligence-is-remixing-journalism-into-a-soup-of-language?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">on journalism</a>. And remembering <a href=\"https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/05/11/ranajit-guha-revolutionised-the-study-of-indias-past?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Ranajit Guha</a>, a historian who saw a different India by looking bottom-up.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Take our listener survey at <a href=\"https://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a></p><p><br></p><p>And for full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href=\"https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p>","author_name":"The Economist"}