In this inaugural episode of our new show, The Intangible Economy with Kai Wu, we explore how AI, intangible assets, and unprecedented capital investment are reshaping the future of markets. Michael Mauboussin joins Kai to break down why today’s AI expectations may be historically unmatched—and what that means for investors trying to assess risk, returns, and who ultimately captures value.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on AppleThe conversation moves from base rates and AI growth expectations to competitive dynamics, capital cycles, and the fundamental shift toward intangible-driven business models that are changing how we think about valuation, moats, and market structure.Papers and Resources Discussed:Bayes and Base Rates: How History Can Guide Our Assessment of the Futurehttps://www.morganstanley.com/im/en-us/institutional-investor/insights/consilient-observer/bayes-and-base-rates.htmlThe Impact of Intangibles on Base Rateshttps://www.morganstanley.com/im/publication/insights/articles/article_theimpactofintangiblesonbaserates.pdfMeasuring the Moat: Assessing the Magnitude and Sustainability of Value Creationhttps://www.morganstanley.com/im/publication/insights/articles/article_measuringthemoat.pdfOne Job: Expectations and the Role of Intangible Investmentshttps://www.morganstanley.com/im/publication/insights/articles/article_onejob.pdfCapitalism Without Capital: The Rise of the Intangible Economyhttps://books.google.com/books/about/Capitalism_without_Capital.html?id=J3SYDwAAQBAJA Better Estimate of Internally Generated Intangible Capitalhttps://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/mnsc.2022.01703Underestimating the Red Queen: Measuring Growth and Maintenance Investmentshttps://www.morganstanley.com/im/publication/insights/articles/article_underestimatingtheredqueen.pdfExplaining the Recent Failure of Value Investinghttps://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3442539Guest Links:Michael Mauboussin TwitterTopics Covered:Why OpenAI’s projected growth would be unprecedented in market historyHow base rates provide a reality check on AI expectationsThe role of diffusion models and adoption curves in forecasting technologyWhy massive capital investment in AI may follow past boom-bust cyclesLessons from large-scale infrastructure projects and why timelines breakHow intangible assets change the distribution of business outcomesThe rise of “fat tails” and why more companies now massively win or failWho captures value in AI across the stack from chips to applicationsWhy competition may drive AI profits toward consumers, not producersHow accounting distorts intangible investment and misleads investorsTimestamps:00:00 Intro and OpenAI growth expectati