Discussing What to Ask Powell at the Fed Conference on AI, Employment, and Interest Rates

Steve Leeman and Andrew consider what questions might get a useful response from Fed Chair Powell, focusing on whether he would offer any market direction. The discussion centers on using Powell's interest in artificial intelligence and past comments on a potential productivity boom as an entry point.

■ Finding an Angle for Questions
- Steve reflects on his experience attending Fed conferences since 2011 and the difficulty of getting answers this time
- Andrew proposes an approach and Steve takes notes as the idea is laid out
■ AI and the Productivity Conversation
- Powell's known interest in artificial intelligence and his historical view of a productivity boom
- Recent layoffs at Microsoft as a possible example of an inflection point in employment
- How a productivity shift might be weighed against the employment picture and its implications for interest rates

This is suited to listeners who follow Federal Reserve policy and central bank communications. It offers a look at how interview questions are prepared and how AI-related labor trends may connect to monetary policy discussions.