Episode #1156: Ford’s Jim Farley warns America about jobs and trades in the AI era. Subaru reveals its first dealership redesign in nearly two decades. And the once-hyped “vibe coding” boom may already be running out of steam.
Ford CEO Jim Farley says America’s economy is at a crossroads. As AI threatens to eliminate millions of office jobs, he warns the U.S. is overlooking the “essential economy” of trades and manufacturing that keep the country running.
- Farley predicts up to 50% of white-collar jobs could vanish within a decade due to AI.
- Entry-level positions like clerical work and coding are especially at risk, shrinking career pathways for young professionals.
- By contrast, blue-collar fields face massive shortages—600,000 factory workers and nearly 500,000 construction workers are already needed.
- Farley highlights Germany’s strong apprenticeship programs, saying the U.S. overemphasis on four-year degrees leaves trade careers underfunded and undervalued.
- “There’s more than one way to the American Dream,” Farley said.
- Subaru is rolling out a new dealership design for the first time since 2007. Called the Connection Hub, the redesign mixes nature themes with high-tech touches, aiming to give customers an immersive brand experience.
- Exterior upgrades include a “grand, park-like pavilion” with star-shaped columns and a central walkway leading to inventory.
- Inside, “lifestyle vehicle vignettes” display cars in real-world scenarios, complete with accessories and digital storytelling.
- Outdoor areas will double as lounges, play spaces, or even dog parks to tie into Subaru’s community-focused image.
- Dealers have voiced mixed reactions—90 retailers have said they’re in, while others worry about costs amid slowing sales and rising interest rates.
- “This is more than a design update — it transforms our retailers’ facilities into welcoming hubs,” said Subaru retail VP Tim Stallings.
- The vibe coding craze might be losing momentum. Barclays analysts say traffic to AI-powered app and site builders—once hyped as the future of no-code—has slumped hard after peaking earlier this year.
- Lovable, which hit $100M ARR in June, has seen visits fall 40%, Vercel’s v0 plunged 64% and Bolt.new dropped 27%.
- Analysts warn many of these gains came from month-to-month subscribers, making revenue growth less durable than it looked during the hype cycle.
- Heavy “inference whale” users earlier strained business models, forcing startups to raise prices, which may have accelerated the slowdown.
- “The churn rate for everyone is really high,” said Bolt.new CEO Eric Simons. “You have to build a retentive business.”
0:00 Intro with Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
0:37 The History of The Jacket Paul is Wearing Today
2:01 Upcoming ASOTU Edge Webinar with Uber for Business
2:30 Jim Farley On AI's W
Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.
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