Things in San Francisco are starting to feel very sci-fi, and it seems like every day we’re learning more about artificial intelligence agents gone wild. Calls are increasingly mounting for someone to rein in this technology before it’s too late.

On today's episode, how worried should we be about rogue AI?  And can our biggest homegrown AI company do anything about it?  

Do you have a story idea for us? Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.

Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.

Things in San Francisco are starting to feel very sci-fi, and it seems like every day we&rsquo;re learning more about artificial intelligence agents gone wild. Calls are increasingly mounting for someone to rein in this technology before it&rsquo;s too late.
On today's episode, how worried should we be about rogue AI?&nbsp; And can our biggest homegrown AI company do anything about it?&nbsp;&nbsp;
Do you have a story idea for us? Give us a call at <a href="tel:2062217158" data-stringify-link="tel:2062217158" data-sk="tooltip_parent">(206) 221-7158</a> and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:booming@kuow.org">booming@kuow.org</a>.
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes">kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes</a>. Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/carol-smith">Carol Smith</a>. Our producers are <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/lucy-soucek">Lucy Soucek</a> and <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/alec-cowan">Alec Cowan</a>. Our hosts are <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/joshua-mcnichols">Joshua McNichols</a> and <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/monica-nickelsburg">Monica Nickelsburg</a>.

Booming is 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.

Booming is 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&rsquo;s brought jobs, people, and wealth to the region, but also real growing pains that people here feel every day. In&nbsp;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.

Booming

How worried should we be about rogue AI?  And can our biggest homegrown AI company do anything about it?  

Microsoft's stern warning for AI frontier labs

For years, people have been comparing Seattle to San Francisco. 

We've both got the water, the hills... and of course, the tech workers and the exploding real estate prices. The general consensus has been that whatever happens in San Francisco, will eventually happen in Seattle.

But now, the AI boom is driving us apart.

On today's episode, what do the diverging stories of San Francisco and Seattle tell us about how AI is reshaping the economy? And what could it mean for the cost of housing, here? 

Do you have a story idea for us? Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.

Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.

For years, people have been comparing Seattle to San Francisco.&nbsp;
We've both got the water, the hills... and of course, the tech workers and the exploding real estate prices.&nbsp;The general consensus has been that whatever happens in San Francisco, will eventually happen in Seattle.
But now, the AI boom is driving us apart.
On today's episode, what do the diverging stories of San Francisco and Seattle tell us about how AI is reshaping the economy? And what could it mean for the cost of housing, here?&nbsp;
Do you have a story idea for us? Give us a call at <a href="tel:2062217158" data-stringify-link="tel:2062217158" data-sk="tooltip_parent">(206) 221-7158</a> and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:booming@kuow.org">booming@kuow.org</a>.
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes">kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes</a>. Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/carol-smith">Carol Smith</a>. Our producers are <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/lucy-soucek">Lucy Soucek</a> and <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/alec-cowan">Alec Cowan</a>. Our hosts are <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/joshua-mcnichols">Joshua McNichols</a> and <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/monica-nickelsburg">Monica Nickelsburg</a>.

The general consensus has been that whatever happens in San Francisco, will eventually happen in Seattle.  But now, the AI boom is driving us apart.

Is San Francisco leaving Seattle behind?

We’re working hard on some exciting upcoming episodes and we’ve got some busy weeks ahead, so here's one of our favorite episodes from this past year.

It's about why companies that cater to the middle class are disappearing, and what that means for the businesses we love.  

This episode originally aired last spring. You can read the original story here: The K-shaped economy: Why diners are dying but yachts are booming.

Thank you, as always, for listening to our show. We’ll have a new episode out next week. 

Do you have a story idea for us? Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.

Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.

We&rsquo;re working hard on some exciting upcoming episodes and we&rsquo;ve got some busy weeks ahead, so here's one of our favorite episodes from this past year.
It's about why companies that cater to the middle class are disappearing, and what that means for the businesses we love.&nbsp;&nbsp;
This episode originally aired last spring. You can read the original story here: <a href="https://www.kuow.org/economy/2026-04-02/the-k-shaped-economy-why-diners-are-dying-but-yachts-are-booming">The K-shaped economy: Why diners are dying but yachts are booming</a>.
Thank you, as always, for listening to our show. We&rsquo;ll have a new episode out next week.&nbsp;
Do you have a story idea for us? Give us a call at&nbsp;<a href="tel:2062217158" data-stringify-link="tel:2062217158" data-sk="tooltip_parent">(206) 221-7158</a> and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:booming@kuow.org">booming@kuow.org</a>.
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes">kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes</a>. Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/carol-smith">Carol Smith</a>. Our producers are <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/lucy-soucek">Lucy Soucek</a> and <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/alec-cowan">Alec Cowan</a>. Our hosts are <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/joshua-mcnichols">Joshua McNichols</a> and <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/monica-nickelsburg">Monica Nickelsburg</a>.

Why are companies that cater to the middle class disappearing? And what does that mean for the businesses we love?

Where have all the diners gone? The disappearing middle class economy (encore)

The Pacific Northwest has a copper theft problem. Seattle police say this type of crime has increased 300% in the city since 2016. 

And it's hitting Seattle's mom and pop shops especially hard, because often they're the target of these robberies. 

We're in the midst of a big shift from a fossil fuel-based economy to one powered by electricity. And that's made copper more valuable than ever. 

On today's episode, why is copper theft surging in the PNW? And can anything be done about it? 

Do you have a story idea for us? Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.

Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.

The Pacific Northwest has a copper theft problem. Seattle police say this type of crime has increased 300% in the city since 2016.&nbsp;
And it's hitting Seattle's mom and pop shops especially hard, because often they're the target of these robberies.&nbsp;
We're in the midst of a big shift from a fossil fuel-based economy to one powered by electricity. And that's made copper more valuable than ever.&nbsp;
On today's episode, why is copper theft surging in the PNW? And can anything be done about it?&nbsp;
Do you have a story idea for us? Give us a call at&nbsp;<a href="tel:2062217158" data-stringify-link="tel:2062217158" data-sk="tooltip_parent">(206) 221-7158</a> and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:booming@kuow.org">booming@kuow.org</a>.
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes">kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes</a>. Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/carol-smith">Carol Smith</a>. Our producers are <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/lucy-soucek">Lucy Soucek</a> and <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/alec-cowan">Alec Cowan</a>. Our hosts are <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/joshua-mcnichols">Joshua McNichols</a> and <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/monica-nickelsburg">Monica Nickelsburg</a>.

We’re in the midst of a big shift from a fossil fuel-based economy to one powered by electricity. And that’s made copper more valuable than ever.

Microsoft's stern warning for AI frontier labs

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